Vietnam Advances Sustainable Agriculture Through New Land Policies

Vietnam has introduced sweeping reforms in its 2024 Land Law to promote sustainable agricultural development, enhance land use efficiency, and empower farmers and agri-investors alike. With 84% of the country’s natural land designated as agricultural and nearly 62% of its population residing in rural areas, the land policy reforms mark a significant step in supporting the country’s agricultural transformation.

🔍 Key Objectives: 

• Enhance land use efficiency
• Empower farmers through secure, long-term land rights
• Attract capable investors and organizations to commercial agriculture
• Support land consolidation for large-scale, sustainable production

• Annual crops, aquaculture, salt-making:
  • Max 3 hectares/person in Southeast & Mekong Delta
  • Max 2 hectares/person elsewhere
    
    
• Perennial crops:
  • Up to 10 ha in plains; up to 30 ha in mountainous regions
    
    
• Forest land (protective/production):
  • Up to 30 ha per individual
    
    

 Land use terms are set at 50 years. Upon expiration, users can continue without renewal procedures, simplifying long-term planning and investment. 

🔄 Land Transfers and Broadened Access The law increases land transfer caps to up to 15 times the allocation limit, with flexibility for provinces to set their own limits. Economic organizations and non-farmers with technical and financial capacity can now access agricultural land within permitted limits, paving the way for: 

• Greater commercialization
• Reduced land abandonment
• Efficient and strategic land use

🌿 Encouraging Crop Diversification and Land Flexibility The law now permits rice land to be used for other crops or livestock, as long as conditions for reverting to rice remain intact. This includes: 

• Combining agriculture with services, tourism, medicinal plants, and commerce
• Building facilities to support on-site production
• Avoiding any formal land-use reclassification

 This move supports crop diversification, economic resilience, and value-added farming models. 

🧩 Promoting Land Consolidation and Multi-Purpose Use To combat land fragmentation, the 2024 Land Law supports land accumulation and consolidation, allowing land users to scale up and pursue commodity-oriented agriculture. The law also embraces multi-purpose land use, where: 

• Up to 50% of agricultural land can be used for secondary purposes (e.g., tourism, services)
• No formal conversion is needed if original use is preserved
• Ecosystem protection, biodiversity, and green development are mandated

💡 Positive Impacts and Future Outlook According to Mr. Binh, these changes will: 

• Increase land-use efficiency and productivity
• Attract investment and innovation in agri-business
• Simplify administrative processes
• Foster eco-friendly, diversified, and scalable agriculture
• Enable proactive responses to market trends and climate shifts

Vietnam’s Land Law 2024 represents a forward-thinking approach to land governance, designed to balance environmental sustainability, economic growth, and rural welfare. By enabling flexible land use, promoting commercial agriculture, and empowering both farmers and investors, Vietnam is laying the groundwork for a more dynamic, resilient, and sustainable agri-food system.

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