Multipurpose water management: [2] Water ‘richness’ attracts green investments

Attracting livestock investment

Tay Ninh's irrigation system is expanding its role in a new production landscape. From high-tech livestock farms to cassava starch processing plants, a stable water supply becomes one of the fundamental conditions for businesses to invest, adopt new technologies and shift toward greener production models.

Bài liên quan

Multipurpose water management: [1] Field canals support diversified cropping

For a large-scale livestock farm, water is needed not only for animals to drink but also directly affects barn sanitation, cooling, environmental control, and biosecurity. As herd sizes grow, requirements for a stable water supply become increasingly stringent. This is also one of the factors investors consider when selecting locations for concentrated livestock production.

According to Vu Manh Hung, Chairman of Hung Nhon Group, Tay Ninh has an advantage in water resources, with the Dau Tieng irrigation system playing an important role in ensuring water supplies for production. Leveraging its infrastructure and water resources, Tay Ninh is now a key location in Hung Nhon and De Heus' livestock development strategy.

The two businesses have been working on 15 projects in Tay Ninh and the Central Highlands, with total investment of approximately VND 12.4 trillion. Twelve projects are located in Tay Ninh, totaling roughly VND 10 trillion in investment, mainly concentrated in Tan Hoi commune. An integrated livestock, processing and export ecosystem is slowly emerging here in the form of a high-tech hub.

Under their cooperation strategy for 2026-2036, the two Groups plan to invest an additional VND 6 trillion in Tay Ninh and Gia Lai, bringing total investment over the entire period to approximately VND 18.3 trillion.

“Water security is one of the key factors enabling us to develop concentrated livestock production areas, maintain tight control over production conditions and meet international standards,” Chairman Hung said.

However, ensuring sufficient water is only the first condition. Modern production requires efficient water use, reduced losses and effective waste management. This is where technology and the circular economy come into play.

According to Hung, the projects are designed to operate under a circular economy model. High-tech biogas systems treat livestock waste and convert it into organic fertilizer for agricultural production. At the same time, Hung Nhon is expanding investment in rooftop solar power, aiming to meet 30% of its electricity needs from renewable energy and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The project is important to the locality and contributes to realizing Tay Ninh's development orientation toward high-tech, safe and sustainable livestock farming. Local authorities are committed to supporting the project and creating favorable conditions for it to proceed on schedule while ensuring safety, efficiency and a balance of interests among businesses, residents and the wider community,” said Nguyen Thi Phuong, Chairwoman of the Tan Hoi Commune People's Committee.

Adding value to the cassava industry

While livestock farming places high demands on clean water and biosecurity, cassava starch processing highlights another aspect of multipurpose irrigation: ensuring water supplies for production while using water, treating wastewater and promoting water reuse efficiently.

Tay Ninh is one of Vietnam’s major cassava-growing areas, with 59,000-62,000 ha under cultivation. It has also developed into a major cassava starch processing hub, attracting more than 65 companies to invest in processing plants.

Water is directly involved in many stages of cassava starch processing, with consumption estimated at about 15 cubic meters per ton of product. As output increases, pressure on water resources rises accordingly. The challenge is therefore not simply to ensure an adequate supply but also to save every cubic meter, reduce water intake, control water use, and increase water recovery and reuse after treatment.

Dinh Khue One Member Co., Ltd. has addressed this matter by investing in an automatic wastewater monitoring system, recovering biogas for starch drying and continuing to upgrade its wastewater treatment system.

Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, Production and Operation Manager at Dinh Khue One Member Co., Ltd., said, “Customers visiting the plant assess environmental performance, particularly the wastewater treatment system. Only after environmental requirements are met do they proceed to evaluate other criteria. Therefore, investing in environmental protection is also an investment in the company's competitiveness and market access.”

According to Hanh, having water resources is an advantage, but businesses also have a responsibility to use water economically and efficiently. Investing in water treatment systems, controlling water consumption, and gradually circulating and reusing water not only protects the environment but also helps reduce costs and improve production efficiency.

The experience of cassava processing plants shows that using every cubic meter of water efficiently not only reduces pressure on natural resources but also strengthens competitiveness, steering the cassava industry toward more sustainable production. This is where multipurpose irrigation intersects with the circular economy.

From high-tech livestock farming to cassava starch processing, irrigation provides the foundation, technology creates value, and the circular economy extends the life of resources. Together, these elements provide a basis for Tay Ninh's agriculture to develop in a greener, safer, and more sustainable direction.

$ 1 = VND 26,370. Source: Vietcombank.