At least 1,260 senior citizens in Vietnam will receive support to launch businesses focused on waste collection and sorting at the source, creating employment opportunities for 100,000 people through these start-up initiatives.

By 2038, Vietnam's population aged 60 and over will exceed 21 million, accounting for 20% of the national total. Photo: United Nations

It is part of a project signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long to increase the involvement of older people in digital transformation, green initiatives, and entrepreneurship while raising social awareness of their contributions.

The project's goal is to have at least five models of senior-led waste collection and sorting in each province by 2030, along with three models of organic agriculture and circular economy practices.

It also aims for 90% of older people to be educated about digital and green transformation, and for 50% to be proficient in basic digital skills, including online public services, e-commerce, online payments, and cybersecurity.

The elderly, defined as those 60 years and older, will receive resources to maintain and expand appropriate business models or create new ones.

To achieve these goals, the deputy prime minister has called for devising pilot programs to empower the elderly in business, social management, and social development, while facilitating their involvement in green transformation efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainable practices.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been tasked with leading efforts to promote greater involvement of older people in green transformation and the circular economy.

The Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology will handle the digital transformation and entrepreneurship aspects, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Association of the Elderly will prepare a budget for these initiatives and seek support from social resources and international organizations.

As Vietnam faces the challenges of an aging population and potential labor shortages, the country is seeking solutions to extend the working lives of older people to contribute to sustainable socio-economic development.

The General Statistics Office predicted that by 2038, Vietnam's population aged 60 and over will exceed 21 million, accounting for 20% of the total population. This number is expected to rise to 27 million or 25% by 2050.