Agriculture is an industry that plays an essential role in economic development towards eliminating poverty issues, but foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to this sector remain modest in Vietnam. This study analyzed the determinants of foreign direct investment in the agricultural sector into the Southern Key Economic Zone (KEZ) of Vietnam, which is considered the foreign direct investment magnet of Vietnam, but its FDI inflows into the agricultural sector have been consistently low, and has shown a downward trend in recent years. The study was based on a sample of 129 foreign investors of a total of 164 multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the agricultural sector, including representatives of the Board of Directors and representatives at the department level. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to test the hypotheses. Findings indicated that FDI attraction policies have the strongest impact on FDI inflows. This was followed by infrastructure, regional agriculture policies, public service quality, natural conditions, and human resources. This study suggests policy recommendations to improve foreign direct investment inflows into the agricultural sector of the Southern Key Economic Zone (KEZ) of Vietnam.

In the trend of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the trend of digital transformation, along with the orientation of building ecologically sustainable agriculture, modern countrysides, civilized knowledge farmers, meeting the requirements of international economic integration. More than ever, countries’ agriculture requires human resources from managers to researchers and those directly getting involved in agricultural production that meet the standards of professional qualifications, capacity and quality of work performance. In Vietnam, in terms of resources in the agricultural sector, there is a surplus of manual and simple labor but a shortage of high-skilled workers and lack of good managers and organizers. In terms of policies and laws in the field of agriculture, it is relatively complete when there are 15 laws passed in 4 production sectors: fisheries, forestry, horticulture and animal husbandry. This is an important legal basis to mobilize resources, including agricultural human resources in order to develop the country. However, the legal system on human resource development in the field of agriculture in general and on training, education, compensation and support in particular is still lacking and scattered. Thus, the article focuses on analyzing the current status of regulations and practices of implementing regulations on human resource development in the agricultural sector, thereby proposing corresponding policies and laws in Vietnam in the next time.

The economy, unemployment, and job creation of South Africa heavily depend on the growth of the agricultural sector. With a growing population of 60 million, there are approximately 4 million small-scale farmers (SSF) number, and about 36,000 commercial farmers which serve South Africa. The agricultural sector in South Africa faces challenges such as climate change, lack of access to infrastructure and training, high labour costs, limited access to modern technology, and resource constraints. Precision agriculture (PA) using AI can address many of these issues for small-scale farmers by improving access to technology, reducing production costs, enhancing skills and training, improving data management, and providing better irrigation infrastructure and transport access. However, there is a dearth of research on the application of precision agriculture using artificial intelligence (AI) by small scale farmers (SSF) in South Africa and Africa at large. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and Bibliometric analysis guidelines were used to investigate the adoption of precision agriculture and its socio-economic implications for small-scale farmers in South Africa or the systematic literature review (SLR) compared various challenges and the use of PA and AI for small-scale farmers. The incorporation of AI-driven PA offers a significant increase in productivity and efficiency. Through a detailed systematic review of existing literature from inception to date, this study examines 182 articles synthesized from two major databases (Scopus and Web of Science). The systematic review was conducted using the machine learning tool R Studio. The study analyzed the literature review articled identified, challenges, and potential societal impact of AI-driven precision agriculture.

This paper focuses on studying the impact of institutional distance between home and host countries on the entry mode choice of multinational enterprises (MNEs). Based on theories of transaction costs and institutional theory, we predict the trend of choosing investment forms of wholly-owned enterprises (WOEs) and joint venture enterprises (JVEs) in the agricultural sector of Vietnam in the context of free trade agreement implementation. The data of 364 MNEs from 22 different nations that directly invested in the agricultural sector of Vietnam in the period 1996–2019 were extracted from Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI), which is provided by World Bank. An empirical investigation has employed logistic regression. The results show a positive relationship between institutional distance with regard to rule of law and regulatory quality and WOE choice. Furthermore, the entry mode choices of MNEs in Vietnam’s agricultural sector are also noticeably influenced by the implementation of freedom trade agreements (FTAs).

In the context of ecological and social challenges in global food systems, this study investigates the potential of agri-food districts to foster balanced territorial development. A multi-step approach to developing sustainable agri-food districts is outlined. How these districts, as integrated systems and meso-level organizational forms, can enhance sustainability through governance is then assessed. This research uses a context-driven analysis pathway involving stakeholder participation and needs identification. The theoretical background, the Italian regulatory framework, and a case study from Lombardy are presented. Needs are identified through participatory approaches and actions are prioritized using desk research and a narrative SWOT analysis combined with key stakeholder discussions (focus group). A total of eighteen needs are identified and categorized into 3 dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental, and socio-institutional. Findings indicate that agri-food district organization has great potential to help achieve local and regional policy goals in line with the shift to sustainable approaches in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The paper proposes actions to strengthen district capacity-building, focusing on internal governance and sustainable production chains. Additionally, initiatives to attract young people to rural areas and agreements for ecosystem services in agri-food districts are suggested. These actions aim to promote sustainability and competitiveness while addressing challenges related to governance, innovation, branding, demographics, and environment. In conclusion, the study prompts critical inquiry into governance models and system dynamics. The innovative aspects of this study lie in its methodological approach, integration of theory and practice, holistic perspective, policy relevance, and critical inquiry, which collectively contribute to advancing knowledge and understanding in the field of sustainable agriculture and territorial development.

The role of agriculture in greenhouse gas emissions and carbon neutrality is a complex and important area of study. It involves both carbon sequestration, like photosynthesis, and carbon emission, such as land cultivation and livestock breeding. In Shandong Province, a major agricultural region in China, understanding these dynamics is not only crucial for local and national carbon neutrality goals, but also for global efforts. In this study, we utilized panel data spanning over two decades from 2000 to 2022 and closely examined agricultural carbon dynamics in 16 cities of the Shandong Province. The method from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was used for calculating agricultural carbon sinks, carbon emissions, and carbon surplus. The results showed that (1) carbon sink from crops in the Shandong Province experienced growth during the study period, closely associated with the rise in crop yields; (2) a significant portion of agricultural carbon emissions was attributable to gastrointestinal fermentation in cattle, and a reduction in the number of stocked cattle led to a fall in overall carbon emissions; (3) carbon surplus underwent a significant transition in 2008, turning from negative to positive, and the lowest value of carbon surplus was noticed in 2003, with agriculture sector reaching the carbon peak; (4) the spatial pattern of carbon surplus intensity distinctly changed before and after 2005, and from 2000 to 2005, demonstrating spatial aggregation. This research elucidates that agriculture in Shandong Province achieved carbon neutrality as early as 2008. This is a pivotal progression, as it indicates a balance between carbon emissions and absorption, highlighting the sector’s ability in maintaining a healthy carbon equilibrium.