Across the vast fields of Pinar del Río Province, where the harsh Caribbean sun and wind resemble Vietnam’s tropical deltas, rice paddies gradually turn . This color represents the long-standing journey of cooperation cultivated for over half a century between Vietnam and Cuba. This relationship transcends geographical distance and institutional differences, bound by shared history, ideals, and concrete action.
Land improvement on Cuban farmland. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
Golden, grain-laden rice fields in Cuba. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
The VIBA rice variety, named after the initial syllables of the two countries, stands as a vivid symbol of that spirit. After more than two decades of agricultural cooperation, VIBA has proven highly adaptable to the Cuban soil and climate. Beyond being a productive crop, it has become a “seed of friendship”, sustaining thousands of farming households and technicians, and contributing to food security for the Caribbean island amid prolonged challenges.
Archival footage of Vietnam–Cuba agricultural cooperation. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
Valuable archival footage documenting the direct participation of Vietnamese workers and students in Cuba’s historic “10-million-ton sugar harvest” campaign still holds profound historical significance. Images of hundreds of Vietnamese workers arriving at dawn, carrying their national flag and working with discipline and order in sugarcane fields, have become unforgettable memories. In the recollections of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, it was “an extremely moving moment” when the Vietnamese labor spirit evoked memories of fierce battlefronts, this time on the production front, for shared development.
Prime Minister Pham Van Dong. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
In later years, agricultural cooperation continued to serve as a key pillar of bilateral relations. In response to the need to transform rice production, Vietnam shared its experience and technology, and provided high-quality hybrid varieties, helping to significantly increase rice yields in many Cuban regions. The meticulous yield measurements and field calculations, captured in the documentary Seeds of Happiness, reflected the fusion of scientific knowledge and production reality, as Vietnamese agricultural experts worked alongside Cuban farmers.
Vietnamese rice varieties cultivated in Cuba. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
According to Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang, cooperation projects in rice, maize, and aquaculture production have helped Cuba gradually secure food security and have also earned positive recognition from the international community. In addition, Vietnam’s large-scale rice assistance to Cuba during difficult periods has been deeply appreciated by the Cuban people as a tangible expression of genuine solidarity.
The joy of farmers during the harvest season. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
Today, the golden rice fields of Pinar del Río and Matanzas hold economic value and symbolize the friendship between the two peoples—an affirmation echoed by Vietnamese president Luong Cuong and his Cuban counterpart Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
Golden fields bring food security. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
Beyond agriculture, cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba has expanded into many other fields. Cuba once supported Vietnam in building dairy farms in Moc Chau and egg-laying poultry farms. Its workers participated in constructing the Ho Chi Minh Trail, along with key transportation works and defensive structures, from 1965 to 1975. These memories are still preserved by historical witnesses such as Major General Hoang Anh Tuan as an inseparable part of international solidarity.
In the current context, economic, trade, and investment cooperation has emerged as a significant highlight. According to Cuban First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerardo Peñalver Portal, Vietnam is now Cuba’s largest Asian investor and its second-largest trading partner, with total investment exceeding USD 160 million. In the Mariel Special Development Zone, numerous Vietnamese enterprises have established joint ventures and wholly Vietnamese-owned companies operating in various sectorssuch as consumer goods, construction materials, renewable energy, and agriculture.
The Mariel Special Economic Zone. (Photo: Screenshot from the documentary)
Despite Cuba's ongoing economic difficulties stemming from its long-standing embargo, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Quang Long noted that seven Vietnamese business projects are currently operational in Cuba. The presence of Vietnamese companies, which not only export but also produce directly in Cuba, enhances competitiveness and underscores Vietnam’s growing role in the island nation’s development.
In their 65 years of diplomatic relations, cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba has deepened across all levels and is built upon three main pillars: political and diplomatic ties, economic, trade, and investment cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. The State visit to Cuba by General Secretary and President To Lam in September 2024 is particularly significant, marking a new chapter in the special relationship between the two countries.
From rice seeds in the fields of Pinar del Río to investment projects in Mariel, and from wartime memories to peacetime cooperation, Vietnam and Cuba have shown that true friendship is sustained by persistent, meaningful actions.
