New technology on cassava farms: [2] Breakthroughs with regenerative farming

A test for regenerative farming

For many years, cassava was regarded as a poverty-reduction crop before becoming one of Vietnam’s key export commodities. However, behind the billion-dollar export figures lies a worrying reality: agricultural soils are gradually becoming “exhausted.”

Extensive cassava farming practices, along with the prolonged overuse of chemical fertilizers and herbicides, have disrupted soil structure, caused acidification, reduced fertility, and weakened productive capacity. At the same time, cassava mosaic disease has spread rapidly across large areas, cutting yields by up to 40%, while rising input costs continue to place farmers in a tight spot.

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New technology on cassava farms: [1] Solar power planted across the fields

Considering the current situation, the project “Transforming the Cassava Production System in Vietnam by Establishing Regenerative Farming and Smart Starch Supply Chain Management” (SATREPS), funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), has opened a new direction. The project focuses on regenerative and circular farming practices to restore soil health and improve production efficiency.

According to Takuro Shinano, the project leader, international experience shows that this model has already been widely adopted, particularly in Australia, where 372 million hectares of arid farmland exist, and two-thirds of agricultural land has been degraded. Farmers there have shifted away from dependence on chemicals toward regenerative principles, reducing risks while improving soil fertility and profitability.

The core of regenerative farming is based on five principles: minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining year-round ground cover, keeping living roots in the soil as long as possible, promoting biodiversity, and integrating livestock production. These are considered key to restoring soil ecosystems and reducing dependence on chemical inputs.

At the same time, the development of “green” cassava varieties that resist mosaic disease and absorb carbon more effectively is opening opportunities for participation in carbon credit markets. Long-term studies show that no-till farming combined with retaining crop residues can significantly increase soil organic matter after nearly 20 years, far surpassing conventional methods.

“Regenerative and circular farming techniques pave a suitable path for areas where soil health is declining in Vietnam. The project is expected to become a driving force for the cassava sector’s green and sustainable transformation,” Takuro Shinano said.

Breakthrough from smart farming

Another major breakthrough of the SATREPS project lies in the integration of smart monitoring technologies throughout the value chain. Instead of relying heavily on farming experience, cassava field health is now managed through digital data.

Using field sensors and imagery from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellites, indicators of growth, moisture, and nutrient levels are continuously updated. Based on this data, artificial intelligence (AI) analyzes conditions and provides early warnings of pests, diseases, or nutrient deficiencies, allowing farmers to respond promptly.

The project is developing user-friendly mobile applications that enable online disease diagnosis using photos of cassava leaves, while also building a “carbon notebook” to monitor carbon accumulation in each field. This is considered an important foundation for future participation in carbon credit markets. The applied technology also helps connect and optimize supply chains from raw material sources to starch-processing factories, reducing losses and improving overall industry efficiency.

In Tan Hoi commune, Tay Ninh province, one of the project implementation sites, local agricultural extension officers said the SATREPS project has already shown positive early signs. Although implemented for nearly five months, pilot models have been established with synchronized support in equipment, technical procedures, and new approaches. Current priorities include analyzing and evaluating soil nutrient content, which has declined after many years of continuous cassava cultivation.

Farmers are receiving guidance on how to rehabilitate soils through regenerative methods, moving toward measuring carbon storage capacity in both soil and crops. Initial results have shown promising potential, creating a foundation for continued monitoring and model refinement.

The cassava farming scene in Tan Hoi has worsened over the years. Approximately 3,400 hectares of continuously cultivated cassava fields have increased pressure on soil degradation. Cassava is highly nutrient-demanding, while insufficient attention has been paid to adding organic matter and restoring soil fertility, causing land to lose productivity rapidly.

“From this reality, the locality expects the project to become a catalyst for fundamentally changing farming methods, shifting from resource exploitation to soil restoration. The goal is not only to improve yields in the short term but also to build healthy soils that help cassava grow sustainably, reduce pest outbreaks, and secure long-term livelihoods,” said Duong Thanh Phuong, agricultural extension officer of Tan Hoi commune.

Expectations for a sustainable ecosystem

The five-year SATREPS project (2025 - 2030) goes beyond laboratory research and aims to establish demonstration sites in major cassava-growing regions. Its objective is to create a complete technical package, from suitable varieties and restored soils to smart production processes that can be transferred and replicated in practice.

The combination of advanced scientific knowledge from Japan and practical experience from Vietnamese research institutes such as the Soils and Fertilizers Research Institute and the Agricultural Genetics Institute is expected to bring about a fundamental transformation in the cassava industry. As soils are revitalized and technology takes the leading role, cassava will no longer be seen as a source of environmental pressure but instead become part of a circular and sustainable agricultural ecosystem.

The first “building blocks” for a green transition are gradually taking shape with this cooperation as the foundation. When ODA resources are effectively utilized alongside technical innovation and a new production mindset, cassava has an opportunity to reposition itself not only in export value but also in protecting natural resources and the environment.

The SATREPS project focuses on developing a synchronized technical platform centered on cassava plants and soil systems in key production regions. Regenerative farming solutions, carbon measurement and storage in soils, as well as smart supply chain management technologies, will be studied, refined, and implemented in Vietnam through cooperation among Japanese partners, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and domestic scientific institutions.