Tiếng Việt
In the context of the livestock industry in Dong Nai facing numerous challenges related to the environment and zoning regulations, a wave of relocation of livestock facilities from this province to the Central Highlands is happening strongly. Since 2023, the People’s Committee of Dong Nai Province has decided to relocate more than 3,000 livestock facilities from restricted areas. However, this process is facing many difficulties, particularly for small-scale farmers due to limited investment resources and challenges in accessing support policies.
1. Causes of the Relocation Wave
Pressure from Environmental Regulations
Dong Nai, considered the livestock capital of Vietnam, with over 2.5 million pigs and 26 million chickens, is facing increasing environmental pressure due to the rapid development of this industry. As of the end of August 2024, the total number of pigs and poultry in Dong Nai has significantly decreased, dropping by 11.4% and 1.8%, respectively, compared to the same period last year, partly due to the relocation policy. Among more than 1,300 facilities that need to be relocated or cease operations, only 10 facilities have actually moved to new locations, while the remaining ones have had to shut down.
Challenges for Small-Scale Farmers
Most small-scale livestock farmers in Dong Nai do not have enough resources to relocate to new areas. The closure of facilities causes significant economic difficulties for farmers. Although Dong Nai Province has implemented various measures to support vocational conversion and relocation, no facility has submitted an application for assistance so far.
2. Benefits of Relocating Livestock Farming to the Central Highlands
2.1. Reducing Environmental Pollution in Dong Nai
Relocating livestock facilities helps reduce environmental pollution in Dong Nai, especially in densely populated areas. Thong Nhat District, one of the localities with a large number of farms, has strictly handled violations regarding environmental protection and has relocated nearly 62% of livestock facilities in line with the relocation plan.
2.2. Protecting the Depleting Groundwater Resources
Livestock farms, with their current practices, consume a relatively large amount of water for cleaning facilities, animal care, and feed processing. Many farms use unauthorized groundwater sources and fail to comply with water extraction regulations, leading to groundwater depletion beyond natural replenishment capacity.
2.3. Opportunities to Adjust Livestock Models to Save Water
The Central Highlands offers significant opportunities for livestock businesses to reduce production costs due to cheaper land rental prices and favorable climate conditions. Businesses can focus on investing in advanced farming models, recycling water, and ensuring environmentally friendly farming processes.
3. Solving the Environmental Protection Challenge with More Cost-Effective Solutions for Farms in Vietnam
Wastewater from livestock farming is particularly polluted, with high concentrations of organic pollutants, nutrients, and antibiotic residues, which incur substantial costs to treat according to the QCVN 62-MT:2016/BTNMT standards.
Except for some large-scale livestock businesses, most farm investors do not have the capacity to invest in and maintain environmental protection facilities for the following basic reasons:
- Separating manure using filtration and centrifugation equipment reduces the solid waste load but does not immediately reuse the manure.
- The wastewater treatment process with Biogas ponds and biological treatment ponds requires large areas and cannot meet the QCVN 62 standards.
- Treating ammonia and total phosphorus with chemicals: The cost of chemicals is high and not easily implemented.
Large-scale livestock farms in the Central Highlands can utilize wastewater treatment solutions from NGO to comply with strict environmental regulations while optimizing operating costs. NGO’s wastewater treatment systems are designed to be flexible, easy to install, and operate, helping farms achieve high efficiency in environmental protection.
For more information about wastewater treatment solutions for livestock production, you can refer to the article Livestock Wastewater Treatment Solutions.
Livestock businesses interested in wastewater treatment solutions can contact NGO at 024.7300.0890 or via email at office@8ngo.com for direct consultation.
