Attracting high-tech livestock investment to Northern Dong Nai

Previously, the rapid pace of industrialization and urbanization in the former Dong Nai province drove land prices sharply higher, pushing livestock density beyond regulatory limits and prompting the province to discourage new livestock investment projects. Following the merger, Dong Nai now has over one million hectares of agricultural land, with a substantial portion still available for livestock production, particularly in the northern part of the province.

Newly invested pig farm in Thong Nhat commune. Photo: Binh Nguyen

Following the merger, Dong Nai remains the country’s "livestock hub," ranking among the top localities nationwide for key livestock herds, with nearly 4 million pigs and approximately 36.2 million poultry. The province is continuing its transition toward large-scale, industrialized farming, applying high technology and integrated production chains from input to output to promote sustainable development and strengthen market competitiveness.

According to the Political Report of the Provincial Party Committee presented at the 1st Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 tenure, the goal is to continue developing large-scale, technologically advanced, and environmentally sustainable livestock zones. Under the provincial master plan for the 2025–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, Dong Nai focuses on infrastructure development, fully tapping each locality’s potential to create advantages for attracting investment in new key areas. These include forming high-tech agricultural and large-scale, modern livestock zones integrated with eco-friendly and green tourism in the Northeastern part of the province, associated with communes and wards such as Bu Gia Map, Phuoc Long, Bu Dang, Ta Lai, and Nam Cat Tien.

Nguyen Van Khai, Vice Chairman of the Bu Gia Map commune People's Committee, stated that livestock development is a crucial component in promoting agricultural economic growth, increasing local incomes, and achieving the commune’s "new-style rural development" targets. In the first nine months of 2025, the commune's livestock production value was estimated at VND 24.2 billion, representing a nearly 30% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This encouraging result reflects the efforts of local farmers to maintain and expand their herds, as well as the effectiveness of disease control, quarantine measures, and centralized slaughter management. To ensure sustainable livestock development, the commune is encouraging a shift from small-scale to concentrated farming, applying biosecurity measures and environmentally friendly practices to boost productivity, lower costs, prevent disease outbreaks, and protect the environment.

Vice Chairman Nguyen Van Khai added that in the coming period, the commune will step up training for farmers on applying scientific and technological advances in livestock production, with a particular focus on promoting circular farming models that utilize agricultural by-products and closely integrate crop cultivation with animal husbandry under the "garden–pond–barn" model. The goal is to enhance resource efficiency, reduce costs, and protect the environment. The commune is also prioritizing the development of production linkage models, such as cooperatives and livestock producer groups, to form value chains from production to consumption, thereby helping farmers expand their operations and increase product value.

Commenting on the province’s livestock development direction, Nguyen Truong Giang, Head of the provincial Livestock and Fisheries Sub-Department, noted that in the former Binh Phuoc province, certain livestock areas developed later than those in the former Dong Nai but grew rapidly, attracting many large-scale pig and poultry farms. As a result, the total herds in the two provinces were nearly equal. Following the merger, Dong Nai still has ample land available for livestock development, particularly in the vast agricultural areas previously belonging to Binh Phuoc. According to the plan, the Northern part of Dong Nai still has nearly 10,000 hectares available for livestock expansion.

Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang affirmed that Dong Nai will continue to maintain its position as the “livestock hub” of Vietnam. The province will focus on attracting major corporations to invest and retain its leading position in the livestock sector nationwide.

Dong Nai has been a national leader in transitioning from small-scale household farming to large-scale, farm-based livestock production. In the past, the province’s livestock planning focused on establishing concentrated livestock zones. However, this model is no longer considered appropriate. Today, the concept of "concentrated livestock production" no longer refers to clustering farms in a single location, but instead involves linking small-scale producers to operate collectively on a large, modern scale.

In the coming period, the livestock sector will continue shifting from small-scale production to large, high-tech farms. Giang added that the province is focusing on attracting livestock investment in Northern Dong Nai, prioritizing high-tech production and integrated value chains, from breeding and feed to processing and distribution, to ensure stable input and output sources and effective disease control. In the former Dong Nai area, where many large farms already exist, the province will not encourage new projects but instead support existing farms in upgrading technology to maintain biosecure and environmentally sustainable production.

Le Van Quyet, Director of Long Thanh Phat High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative in Long Thanh commune, said: “With an annual production of 3 million chickens, our cooperative is currently the largest white-chicken producer in Vietnam. Following the merger, Dong Nai has a vast land fund for livestock development. The province’s strong infrastructure and large consumer market provide favorable conditions for further investment, and I hope to expand our farming operations here. Today, small-scale livestock farming that causes environmental pollution is no longer appropriate. In the future, ‘concentrated livestock production’ should be understood as linking small-scale producers to operate collectively. We hope local authorities will introduce breakthrough policies to promote high-tech, value-chain-based livestock farming for sustainable development and enhanced competitiveness.”

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho