As a leading global company in agriculture, Syngenta recognizes that business development is intrinsically linked with a commitment to creating positive impact on farmers’ livelihoods and rural communities. The company promotes sustainable agricultural practices worldwide through its four global sustainability priorities: Higher Yields, Lower Impacts; Regenerate Soil & Nature; Improve Rural Prosperity; and Sustainable Operations.
In Vietnam, Syngenta supports these four priorities through various sustainable projects and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. These initiatives aim to foster sustainable agriculture, empower rural communities, and contribute to the country’s overall socio-economic progress, aligning with the company’s global sustainability goals.
Promoting sustainable agricultural practices
With strong efforts to promote agricultural sustainability, Syngenta collaborates with a diverse range of partners, including government organizations, private sector entities, and non-governmental organizations to implement sustainable projects focused on key crops such as coffee, rice, and potatoes. These projects aim to protect farmland, help biodiversity flourish, add value to agricultural products, promote domestic consumption and exports, while simultaneously helping to increase farmers’ incomes and contribute to the sustainability of agriculture.
Besides working on sustainable projects, Syngenta is actively engaged in CSR projects to support rural communities where the company operates.
One of Syngenta Vietnam’s flagship CSR initiatives is the “Clean Field, Green Life” campaign, which aims to address the proper disposal of empty crop protection packaging while simultaneously contributing to rural revitalization through tree planting efforts along rural roads.
Since 2015, Syngenta has been coordinating with provincial authorities in the Mekong Delta to implement the “Clean Field – Green Life” campaign to raise awareness among farmers about environmental protection and the safe, effective, and responsible use of pesticides.
Under this campaign, farmers are encouraged to collect empty crop protection packages thrown on the fields or in public areas and take them to designated collection points set up by Syngenta Vietnam. In exchange for these packages, farmers receive essential goods equivalent to the quantity of empty crop protection packages they collected. All used bottles and packaging, after being collected, are transported to concentrated areas for treatment in line with the standards.
Moreover, Syngenta also provides stewardship training for farmers to help them use crop protection products in a safe, responsible, and efficient manner. Through training and interactive games about stewardship, farmers change their mindset and gain more knowledge about the safe and responsible use of crop protection products to protect their health and the environment.
Furthermore, Syngenta has implemented an innovative “exchange empty crop protection packages for trees” program. For every ton of empty crop protection packages collected, Syngenta provides an equivalent number of trees to local areas. These trees are then planted to build green rural roads in local areas.
With the purpose of fostering community engagement and promoting a spirit of environmental protection among all employees, Syngenta actively encourages employee participation in their initiatives. During the “Clean Field, Green Life” campaign day, employees join forces with local authorities, farmers, students, and other stakeholders to collect empty crop protection packages and plant trees, collectively creating a greener environment through community engagement.
By actively involving employees, local communities, and stakeholders in these initiatives, Syngenta not only promotes environmental stewardship but also fosters a sense of collective responsibility and ownership towards sustainable practices.
“At Syngenta, we are committed to promoting sustainable agriculture practices that not only improve productivity but also protect the environment,” said Tran Thanh Vu, General Director of Syngenta Vietnam. “The ‘Clean Field, Green Life’ initiative is a testament to our dedication to environmental stewardship and our efforts to support rural communities in Vietnam.”
In the last 10 years, through this program, the company has organized stewardship training on the safe and effective use of crop protection for more than 30,000 farmers across 20 provinces and cities, with more than 130 tons of used bottles collected for treatment from across the Mekong Delta and other provinces, and about 5,000 trees planted in the Mekong Delta region.
The “Clean Field, Green Life” campaign serves as a platform where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to push for the proper disposal of crop protection packaging and simultaneously enhance the natural beauty and green environment of rural areas through tree planting efforts.
In August 2024, the People’s Committee of Can Tho Province awarded a “Certificate of Merit” to Syngenta Vietnam for its outstanding contribution to the rural environment and for helping raise awareness of environmental protection among farmers in Can Tho through the “Clean Field, Green Life” program. On this occasion, two Syngenta staff members, Mr. Tran Van Trua, Regional Market Development Director for the Mekong area, and Ms. Le Thu Ha, from the Business Sustainability Department, also received “Certificates of Merit” for their contributions to the success of “Clean Field, Green Life” in Can Tho over the past 10 years.
“At Syngenta, we are committed to sustainable agriculture practices that boost productivity while protecting the environment,” said Tran Thanh Vu, general director of Syngenta Vietnam. “The ‘Clean Field, Green Life’ initiative demonstrates our dedication to environmental stewardship and supporting rural communities in Vietnam. The ‘Certificates of Merit’ from Can Tho City’s People’s Committee to Syngenta Vietnam and two of our staff members recognize our contribution to the rural environment and raising environmental awareness among farmers.”
Empowering rural communities
In addition to the “Clean Field, Green Life” campaign, Syngenta Vietnam has implemented a range of other CSR initiatives aimed at supporting the next generation and improving the lives of farmers and their communities.
The “Houses for Farmers” program, launched in 2010, aims to improve housing conditions for poor families in rural areas. Each year, the company works with local authorities to identify poor farmers who are in need of firm house and helps rebuild their houses. The company also advises these beneficiaries on improving their farming practices to increase income and escape poverty. To date, this program has donated 160 houses worth VND8 billion to poor farmers in 40 provinces.
Incorporated into the “Houses for Farmers” program is an initiative to renovate or build school facilities and restrooms in remote areas. Up to now, 25 restrooms have been handed over to schools in localities where the program was organized. Furthermore, two new primary school facilities, including classrooms and restrooms, will be constructed and handed over in remote areas in 2024. Additionally, the company provides scholarships to school children and students to support their education.
In the last three years, Syngenta Vietnam has supported the construction of nine concrete bridges in rural areas of the Mekong Delta, replacing bamboo or wooden ones, enhancing safety for the people and improving rural landscapes. This year, the company plans to build four more bridges in the Mekong Delta which not only ensure easy and convenient traffic for local residents but also contribute to the Government’s new rural development program countrywide.
Through these diverse CSR initiatives, Syngenta Vietnam demonstrates its commitment to supporting the next generation, improving the lives of farmers and their communities, and creating a positive and lasting impact on the well-being and economic prospects of rural communities in Vietnam.
Commitment to sustainable development and shared value creation
“We are committed to creating shared value for our stakeholders and the communities where we operate,” said Tran Thanh Vu, general director of Syngenta Vietnam. “By investing in sustainable agriculture, community development, and environmental protection, we not only contribute to the growth of the Vietnamese agricultural sector but also support the overall socio-economic progress of the country.”
Apart from annually scheduled CSR programs to benefit farmers, Syngenta Vietnam also organizes numerous field trips to remote areas across the country. The company’s leadership has stated that at Syngenta Vietnam, awareness of community support is spread among all employees. Each year, all the company’s employees voluntarily contribute a small part of their salaries to community projects, such as donations of water filters for schools, school bags for poor students in northern Vietnam, and blankets for underprivileged people in remote areas in central Vietnam.
Mr. Tran Thanh Vu said that apart from pursuing its core business to introduce its products and solutions to Vietnam’s agriculture, Syngenta Vietnam always considers CSR programs as the top priority in its operations to support the community.
In conclusion, Syngenta Vietnam’s comprehensive approach to corporate social responsibility demonstrates the company’s unwavering commitment to sustainable development and shared value creation. Through its wide-ranging CSR initiatives, Syngenta Vietnam is fostering sustainable agricultural practices, empowering rural communities, and championing environmental stewardship. In doing so, the company is making invaluable contributions not only to the sustainability of Vietnam’s agricultural sector but also to the nation’s journey towards a more prosperous and sustainable future.
