Dak Lak’s agricultural sector has identified green transition, emission reduction and digital transformation as key drivers in shaping a sustainable growth model, firmly reaffirming its role as a pillar of the provincial economy.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, in 2025, the total value of agricultural, forestry and fisheries output in the province exceeded 32,799 billion VND, accounting for around 23% of GRDP. Sectoral growth reached 4.53%, higher than 4.47% in 2024 and 4.42% in 2023.

The province’s efforts to diversify crops and promote deep processing are proving effective. The shift from monocropping to multi-layer farming models integrating fruit trees and industrial crops, together with the establishment of 320 export planting-area codes and 52 packing facilities, has expanded Dak Lak’s integration into high-standard markets, enabling local agricultural produces to access demanding destinations that prioritise green and sustainable produce.

Dak Lak is among the first provinces to apply low-emission rice cultivation models in production.

Notably, leveraging the new development space created by administrative mergers, Dak Lak is shaping new growth poles based on its combined forest-sea advantages.

Nguyen Minh Huan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, noted that the solid performance of agriculture as an economic “pillar” in 2025 provides a critical foundation for the province to confidently target an ambitious 5.86% growth rate in 2026, moving towards an ecological, modern and sustainable agricultural sector.

Establishing a new growth model

The Resolution of the 1st Dak Lak Provincial Party Congress for the 2025-2030 tenure identified eight key tasks in implementing the province’s socio-economic development objectives.

Accordingly, the agricultural sector has closely aligned its actions with the Resolution to adapt to the country’s new economic thinking. This includes accelerating sectoral restructuring and defining a new growth model in response to major transitions such as digital transformation, green transition, circular agriculture and emissions reduction.

Developing high-quality coffee farming combined with eco-tourism is emerging as a strategic direction for Dak Lak’s coffee sector

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the new growth model will no longer prioritise output volume, but instead use economic efficiency, environmental protection and farmers’ quality of life as key benchmarks. Digital transformation has been identified as the central driving force, with smart pest monitoring systems, electronic planting-area codes and blockchain-based traceability gradually replacing traditional management methods. These efforts are laying the foundation for a “transparent and responsible agriculture” in Dak Lak.

In parallel, the under-forest economy is being unlocked through more drastic participation in carbon credit markets and the development of eco-tourism in national parks such as Chu Yang Sin and Ea So. By combining conservation with medicinal plant development and resort tourism, forests are being transformed into sustainable financial resources rather than relying solely on timber exploitation.

PPC Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van stressed that to achieve the 5.86% growth target, the agricultural sector must focus on effectively restructuring towards green, low-emission agriculture; accelerating the application of science, technology and digital transformation; developing production along value chains; and enhancing added value and sustainability.

Translated by KHUONG THAO