Pesticide risk reduction (PRR) becomes one of key issues in adopting integrated pest management (IPM) approach in Vietnam. Pesticide risks can possibly be reduced through communltybased training with a fortified IPM training focused on minimizing pesticide hazard and exposures. With this regard, a community-based training program on PRR in vegetable production has been implementing since 2008. The program was first implemented in Hanoi city and Thai Binh province. With two data sets collected from 170 pesticide users before and after PRR implementation in 2 experimented and 2 control communes of Hanoi city and Thai Binh province, this paper shows that: 1) The program has improved knowledge of applicators in PRR, provided a strong enforcement of community actions on pesticide risk management
2) It has changed individual farmers' behaviors in PRR by formulation of farmers' interest groups, construction of tanks, development of internal regulations on pesticide use techniques
3) It enabled local people to reduce pesticide risks in terms of hazards and exposure. As a result of these impacts, the environmental impact quotients were reduced sharply from 20 percent to 78 percent
The paper also draws some recommendations for improving PRR training and some legal policy issues for a sustainable vegetable farming.