Turning agricultural by-products into high-value carbon materials

As the world shifts toward green growth and a circular economy, the use of new technologies to transform agricultural and forestry by-products into high-value carbon materials offers a compelling example of this trend.

Delegates exchange views at the international scientific conference on new technologies for converting agricultural and forestry by-products into high-value carbon materials.

Dong Nai has strengths in industry, agriculture, and the processing of agricultural and forestry products. Production activities generate substantial volumes of by-products. Applying advanced technologies to turn these materials into biochar and other valuable carbon-based products is part of the city’s drive toward green agriculture, a circular economy and more resource-efficient development.

Strengthening international cooperation

As green growth and the circular economy gain momentum, perceptions of resources are changing profoundly. Materials once regarded as waste or by-products, and sometimes even as sources of environmental harm, can now serve as valuable inputs for emerging industries, creating products with significant economic value and advanced technological applications.

Dr. Hoang Thi Bich Hang, Chairwoman of the city’s Union of Science and Technology Associations, said the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations had recently worked with Queensland University of Technology in Australia to organize an international scientific conference on new technologies for converting agricultural and forestry by-products into high-value carbon materials, focusing on international trends and application potential in Dong Nai City and Southern provinces and cities. The conference attracted numerous Vietnamese and international scientists and experts. It presented scientific information on technological trends in converting agricultural and forestry by-products into high-value carbon materials and explored the potential applications of these materials in agriculture, environmental protection and emerging technology sectors. The event also provided an opportunity to link scientific research with production practices and business needs, creating more opportunities for knowledge exchange and promoting international cooperation.

Throughout its development, Dong Nai City has consistently focused on balancing economic growth with environmental protection, using resources efficiently and pursuing sustainable development. Applying new technologies to convert agricultural and forestry by-products into high-value carbon materials is part of the city’s vision for green agriculture, a circular economy and more resource-efficient development.

Huynh Thi Hang, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai City

Prof. Dr. Hoang Viet Ngu of Queensland University of Technology said: “Over the past 15 years, the Australian Government has shifted its approach to science investment, emphasizing models in which businesses and researchers collaborate from the outset. The aim is for research projects to be proposed by businesses, with scientists conducting the research in laboratories before transferring the results to companies to develop commercialization plans. “This is also the approach adopted by developed countries. A circular economy requires substantial battery supplies, and Australia has a very large demand for imports of these products. It therefore wants to diversify its import sources. “The Australian Government has recently allocated a substantial budget to help scientists access Southeast Asian markets, with the aim of diversifying supplies of batteries made using activated carbon. Vietnam is a strategically important market because it has a relatively well-developed industrial manufacturing base, lower production costs and a reasonably advanced scientific sector. “We hope to establish connections and work with Vietnamese scientists to apply Australian technologies through joint research and help develop the carbon materials economy.”

Driven by practical needs

Dong Nai generates a wide variety of by-products from crop cultivation, livestock farming, agricultural processing and industrial crops. These materials offer considerable potential for research, testing and the development of models for by-product reuse, carbon material production and the promotion of a circular economy in agriculture. One of the key objectives of the international scientific conference on new technologies for converting agricultural and forestry by-products into high-value carbon materials was to bridge the gap between scientific research and the practical needs of farmers and businesses.

Nguyen Tri Cong, Chairman of the Dong Nai Livestock Association, said: “One of the challenges in dealing with African swine fever outbreaks is the burial of infected animals, which is costly and poses a risk of environmental pollution. As Chairman of the Dong Nai Livestock Association, I have tasked researchers with finding alternatives to burial for treating livestock waste and disposing of diseased animals. Developing countries are now advancing circular agriculture. They make use of animals removed from livestock production and process them into feed for other species, improving economic efficiency while protecting the environment.”

Le Thi Anh Tuyet, Deputy Director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment, said Dong Nai generated large quantities of agricultural and livestock by-products because its livestock population and areas devoted to industrial crops and fruit trees ranked among the largest in the country. The city was keen to expand models that turn by-products from agricultural production into resources for green production and a green economy while addressing environmental challenges. Notable initiatives include expanding the use of IMO (indigenous microorganisms), implementing waste sorting at source, and using organic waste as fertilizer for crops. Models have also been developed in the city to convert cocoa husks, cashew shells, coffee residues and other by-products into biochar. Going forward, the agricultural sector will draw on the city’s strengths in agricultural production to focus on projects that recycle livestock by-products and residues from the city’s key crops.

By Binh Nguyen - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha