A milestone in modern agricultural development

Dong Nai’s rural communities and farmers made major contributions in manpower and resources to the struggle for national liberation and the defense of the Fatherland. After the liberation of the South and national reunification, the Party Committee, military and people of Dong Nai entered a new phase of recovery and socio-economic development, while addressing the consequences of war, with agriculture as the backbone of the economy. This period marked Dong Nai’s rise to become one of the nation’s leading localities in both new-style rural development and agricultural advancement.

Following the provincial merger, with its vast potential for agricultural expansion, Dong Nai continues to stand out as an attractive destination for investment in high-tech agriculture and agro-processing. This provides a solid foundation for the city to develop a modern, sustainable and internationally integrated agricultural sector.

A journey of transformation

Dong Nai City is home to many historic landmarks and heroic wartime regions. In particular, Loc Ninh ward was once regarded as the “resistance capital,” home to key historical sites such as the Ta Thiet Special National Relic Site, which served as the headquarters of the Military Commission and the High Command of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Command. The site was considered as the strategic command center of the South during the resistance against the American  imperialism. Meanwhile, Dinh Quan and Tan Phu districts (former administrative units) bordered the eastern side of War Zone D, serving as a strategic logistics gateway for the revolutionary base. During the resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, this region was a fierce battleground. The liberation of Dinh Quan and Tan Phu contributed significantly to the Great Spring Victory of 1975.

Xuan Loc ward, for its part, was once a land of fire during the war, remembered for 21 days and nights of decisive fighting by military forces and local residents, which helped open the eastern gateway for the liberation of Sai Gon and the reunification of the country.

Chicken processing for export at Koyu & Unitek Co., Ltd. in Long Binh ward. Photo: Binh Nguyen

After liberation, many localities in Dong Nai suffered severe devastation from the war. Agriculture in the province virtually had to restart from zero, as irrigation systems and infrastructure had been heavily damaged. Farmers worked in fragmented, small-scale systems, relying on outdated cultivation methods and facing shortages of agricultural inputs and machinery.

In response to these challenges, Dong Nai’s Party Committee in its early terms closely followed reality and set out concrete goals and directions to comprehensively boost agricultural production, gradually building Dong Nai into a prosperous industrial-agricultural province. Within just a few years, the locality overcame wartime destruction and restored production.

Recalling Dinh Quan’s development, Nguyen Cao Cuong, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Council of Dinh Quan commune said that despite post-war difficulties, strong leadership and public unity have driven significant transformation. After the merger, the commune’s administration quickly stabilized and operated effectively, creating favorable conditions for citizens in handling administrative procedures.

Its economy has shifted from agriculture toward industry, handicrafts, trade and services. In the new phase, the locality will continue building ecological agriculture and modern rural areas, with the ultimate goal of continuously improving both material and spiritual life for residents, while preserving and promoting cultural and historical values and ensuring strong national defense and security.

Despite being a major industrial hub, Dong Nai has demonstrated strong determination and decisive leadership in agricultural development, achieving impressive outcomes. The Dong Nai’s agricultural sector has risen to the top ranks nationwide in growth, particularly in transforming fragmented, small-scale production into large-scale, high-tech commodity farming.

This transformation has also provided the foundation for Dong Nai to maintain its leading position throughout its journey in building advanced and model new-style rural areas.

Toward a high-tech agriculture “capital”

Following the merger, with more than one million hectares of agricultural land and favorable natural conditions, Dong Nai holds significant advantages for further breakthroughs. These include nearly 288,000 hectares of rubber, over 175,000 hectares of cashew, close to 25,000 hectares of durian and more than 20,000 hectares of bananas.

Agricultural exports have also delivered remarkable figures, with cashew products valued at nearly US$2.8 billion, coffee at almost US$1.6 billion, rubber at over US$1.3 billion, and wood and wood products at nearly US$1.7 billion. These figures underscore Dong Nai’s position on the global agricultural map.

In livestock production, the city currently has more than 4.2 million pigs and over 36.2 million poultry. Dong Nai continues to maintain its standing as the nation’s “livestock capital.”

A key shift is the sector’s transition toward technology-driven production, moving away from small-scale farming to industrialized, large-scale commodity production. The application of high technology in livestock farming has produced positive results, with numerous advanced and modern models in operation.

According to Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the city has 436 high-tech agricultural models, alongside 328 enterprises and 96 cooperatives applying advanced technologies in production.

During the 2020-2025 term, the value of high-tech agricultural products in the former Dong Nai province is estimated at more than VND38.4 trillion, accounting for nearly 51.3 percent of the total value of the city’s key agricultural products. Meanwhile, the former Binh Phuoc province attracted approximately VND11.5 trillion in investment for high-tech, clean, organic and processing-oriented agricultural projects in livestock farming.

As a result, Dong Nai has developed integrated models linking high-tech agriculture with clean and organic farming, combined with eco-urban areas, residential zones, tourism and landscape development.

The city has also formed 19 high-tech agricultural zones, creating significant advantages in attracting investment for modern and sustainable agricultural production.

Most notably, a mega-project focused on livestock production and agricultural processing, applying advanced technology on a 1,500-hectare scale, has recently been launched in Thuan Loi Commune. This initiative is set to create a new breakthrough in both quality and quantity for Dong Nai’s livestock industry.

The project aims to establish a large-scale high-tech agricultural zone that integrates livestock, crop cultivation and processing into a closed value chain. It also eyes a circular economy model, reusing by-products and waste while employing renewable energy to save resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.

Nguyen Thi Hoang, Member of the City Party Committee and Vice Chairwoman of the City People’s Committee, emphasized that in the coming period, the city will continue prioritizing investment in research, technology transfer and the application of scientific and technological advances in agricultural production. She stressed that research and technology transfer in production, preservation and processing of agricultural products and food must be treated as a particularly important breakthrough to drive both agricultural production and rural economic development.

Speaking at the project’s launch ceremony, Bui Thi Minh Thuy, Party Secretary and Chairwoman of the People’s Council of Thuan Loi commune, said: “The concentrated high-tech livestock production and agricultural processing project is large-scale and strategic, aligned with the Party’s orientation and State policies on modern, high-tech, and sustainable agriculture. The decision to implement the project in Thuan Loi commune reflects the City’s confidence in the locality’s potential. Recognizing its significance, we regard the project as a top strategic priority and are committed to firm leadership and decisive action.”

By B.Nguyen – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha