Ecological, green and circular agriculture

Building an ecological, green, and circular agricultural sector is one of the key objectives set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in response to the growing challenges posed by climate change. Green consumption is also emerging as a prevailing trend. As both the country’s livestock hub and one of the leading provinces in terms of industrial crops and export-oriented fruit cultivation, Dong Nai has significant advantages in transitioning toward green and circular agricultural development in both crop production and livestock farming.

A factory producing organic fertilizer from livestock waste in Xuan Loc commune. Photo: Binh Nguyen

As a modern industrial province, Dong Nai has, from an early stage, seen enterprises, cooperatives, and farmers closely align with these development trends. They have effectively mobilized and utilized resources in capital, labor, and land to invest in the development of sustainable, ecological, and circular agriculture, delivering strong economic returns and meeting shifts in consumer demand.

Waste-free production

Circular agriculture is a model that efficiently reuses resources by converting waste into inputs, thereby reducing costs and increasing production efficiency. It also creates opportunities to access new markets and advances the shift toward green, sustainable agriculture that is resilient to climate change, contributing to higher incomes for farmers. Dong Nai province boasts significant advantages in agricultural resources, alongside a professional, dynamic, and pioneering community of entrepreneurs and farmers who are leading the way in developing ecological, organic, and circular agriculture.

In terms of mechanisms and policies, the development of organic and circular agriculture was identified as one of the province’s breakthrough tasks for the 2020-2025 term. A wide range of support and incentive policies has been implemented to encourage and attract investment. These measures are regarded as a key driver creating breakthroughs in the development of modern, green, and circular agriculture.

In crop production, Ca Cao Trong Duc Co., Ltd. (located in Phu Hoa commune) has been a pioneer in circular agriculture. The company has invested in a large-scale cocoa field project covering thousands of hectares, in parallel with the development of a deep-processing plant. To handle agricultural waste and by-products after processing, particularly thousands of tons of cocoa pod husks, Ca Cao Trong Duc Co., Ltd., is cooperating with Tromso Co., Ltd. (Japan) to implement a project that converts cocoa pod husks and pruned cocoa branches, which were previously discarded or burned, into biochar.

Dang Tuong Khanh, Chairman of the Members’ Council of Ca Cao Trong Duc Co., Ltd., said that biochar is a high-value product that contributes to environmental protection and optimal resource use. Biochar is mainly applied to soil to improve nutrient availability and enhance soil structure. Through the project, thousands of farmers benefit from using this biochar to care for crops under organic-oriented practices. The project aims to develop a circular agriculture model with no greenhouse gas emissions, while helping farmers increase income and sustain long-term agricultural development.

Thanh Binh Cooperative (in Bau Ham commune) has effectively implemented a circular agriculture model. In addition to exporting around 600 tons of fresh bananas to international markets, the cooperative also repurposes bananas rejected after export grading into banana powder and other processed products for export, generating high economic value. Notably, the cooperative utilizes banana stems to produce dried banana sheaths for export as raw materials in the production of environmentally friendly handicrafts.

After many years of cultivating durian, Tran Van Duong (a resident of Phuoc Long ward) has become accustomed to green production practices oriented toward sustainability. On his family’s durian-growing land, he has harmoniously combined organic fertilization with well-structured care, resulting in a healthy and productive orchard.

Duong said that market competition has become increasingly stringent, requiring growers to focus on product quality and produce clean, green, and environmentally friendly products, which he described as a sustainable and long-term approach.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the total volume of by-products from cultivation and preliminary processing of crop products in the province reached approximately 1.5 million tons per year. Of this amount, approximately 551,000 tons, accounting for 39%, were collected and processed into organic fertilizer and other materials used in agricultural production. More than 90% of solid waste generated from livestock farming in the province, including manure and bedding materials from cattle and poultry operations, was collected and composted for use as fertilizer for crops.

Greening livestock farming

As the country’s livestock hub, the province’s livestock sector early on developed on an industrial and large-scale commercial basis. Many enterprises, cooperatives, and farm owners have focused on applying high technology through closed and circular production chains that meet export standards.

Trinh Dang Khoi Co., Ltd. (in Tan An commune) has invested in seven closed, high-tech poultry houses, supplying approximately 600,000 eggs to the market each day. The company’s livestock farming process follows a closed and circular chain, covering breeding stock, rearing procedures, egg handling and packaging, as well as the treatment of manure and waste for use as raw materials in organic fertilizer production. All production stages are operated using automated lines and machinery, helping reduce production costs while ensuring high-quality products.

Nguyen Hong Lam, Chairman of the Vietnam Circular Agriculture Association, said that reckless and excessive exploitation of land and natural resources, particularly through the use of chemicals, has increasingly led to serious environmental consequences. Therefore, shifting agricultural production toward organic and circular models has become an urgent requirement. In terms of mechanisms and policies, he noted that opportunities for developing organic and circular agriculture have never been greater, as the Party and the State, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, strongly support this direction. In Dong Nai, authorities at both provincial and local levels are actively accompanying enterprises and farmers in the development of green and circular agriculture.

Nguyen Truong Giang, Head of the Sub-Department of Livestock and Fisheries, stated that, under the planning framework, the northern area of Dong Nai province (formerly Binh Phuoc province) still has nearly 10,000 hectares of land available for livestock development. This feature means the province continues to have significant potential for expanding the livestock sector and is actively promoting the application of high technology in production. In particular, the province encourages the replication of livestock models integrated with crop cultivation following an organic and circular approach. Under this model, farmers utilize livestock waste and agricultural by-products, applying microbial agents to compost them into organic fertilizer for crop production.

For the 2025-2030 period, one of Dong Nai province’s orientations for agricultural development is to “build a civilized, humane, cohesive, and happy rural area, with harmonious development between safe, high-tech, green, and clean agricultural production.” Alongside the province’s implementation measures, achieving this goal also depends on the central role of farmers in the production and business processes, as they strive to deliver high-quality, environmentally friendly agricultural products.

Green production models are spreading, beginning with changes driven by farmers themselves. They believe that green, clean, safe, and circular agriculture is not only an appropriate approach but also a sustainable development trend that delivers significant economic and social value.

Le Thi Anh Tuyet, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, said that Dong Nai province is expanding high-tech and circular agriculture models across both crop production and livestock farming. Many high-tech agricultural models have already incorporated circular practices. She noted that provincial authorities, in general, and the agriculture sector, in particular, will continue to support cooperatives, enterprises, and farmers in developing high-tech and circular agriculture to ensure sustainability and environmental protection.

By Binh Nguyen, Anh Ngoc – Translated by Huyen Trang, Minho