摘要
Voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) have become key instruments for promotingsustainability and competitiveness among farmers, within global value chains and eUtrade agreements. Under the eU-Vietnam Free Trade agreement (eVFTa), this studyexamines sustainability challenges for rice producers in the Mekong delta (MKd) andhow VSSs, rice area, and cooperative membership influence revenues. Using amixed-methods approach combining 12 stakeholder interviews and a survey of 110farmers, the study finds that VSS adoption alone is associated with a 28% revenueincrease, but this standalone effect is not statistically significant. certified farmers whoare also cooperative members earn 8.7% more than those who are neither certified norcooperative members, whereas cooperative membership alone is linked to a 62.4%decrease in economic return. Rice area emerges as the strongest predictor of revenue.despite government efforts to promote environmental programmes, adoption ofsustainable and water-saving practices remains limited in the MKd. Broader constraints,such as weak incentives and limited access to extension services, continue to hinderVSS uptake in the rice sector. The findings suggest the need for policies that supportclimate adaptation, strengthen cooperative governance, and enhance institutionalcoordination to scale up VSS implementation and ensure more equitable outcomesunder the eVFTa.