Tay Ninh pilots livestock wastewater reuse

Turning livestock wastewater into a resource

On August 26, the Institute of Agricultural Sciences for Southern Viet Nam (IAS), in coordination with the Tay Ninh Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and BAF Viet Nam Agriculture Joint Stock Company, organized a workshop to pilot a model of using treated wastewater from livestock systems for crop irrigation toward a circular economy.

The event aimed to evaluate the scientific, technical, and practical foundation of reusing this water resource. The workshop identified suitable crop groups, conditions, and operating procedures to ensure environmental safety while improving economic efficiency. This serves as a vital prerequisite for refining, evaluating, and scaling up the circular agriculture model across Tay Ninh and localities with similar conditions.

According to Mr. Pham The Anh, Head of the Environmental Operations Department at BAF Viet Nam Agriculture Joint Stock Company, developing a circular economy in agriculture is a consistent policy of the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. For BAF, integrating sustainable livestock production with crop cultivation has been a strategic orientation since 2021.

Previously, implementation faced difficulties due to the lack of a legal framework. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's issuance of National Technical Regulation QCVN 01-195:2022/BNNPTNT established an important basis for farms to reuse treated wastewater. Under this standard, BAF partnered with specialized agencies to survey livestock facilities alongside local farmers' fertilizer and irrigation needs. In phase one, the enterprise plans to pilot across 100-200 hectares with various crop varieties.

Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Deputy Director of BAF Viet Nam Agriculture Joint Stock Company, added that in the coming years, BAF aims to develop spice and medicinal plant cultivation zones for export and supply raw materials to the company's processing plants. In addition, several areas are zoned for potato and pumpkin farming destined for export to Japan and South Korea. Initial testing of pilot pumpkin samples met requirements, and the samples are currently being sent to Japanese partners for assessment.

In parallel, BAF identifies partnerships with farmers as a focal point. Rather than allowing spontaneous cultivation, the enterprise will coordinate with local authorities, Farmers' Unions, and agricultural extension forces to establish specialized cultivation zones for cassava, maize, sweet potatoes, potatoes, or bananas. This linkage model helps farmers reduce upfront investment cost pressures, receive technical support, and secure guaranteed product off-take, thereby effectively optimizing land banks and boosting incomes.

Starting from Tay Ninh, BAF commits to mobilizing maximum resources to build a model circular agricultural framework for the province and the whole country.

Scientific grounding needed for scalability

Dr. Truong Vinh Hai, Acting Vice Director of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences for Southern Viet Nam, said reusing production resources, especially livestock waste and wastewater, is a practical way to drive circular agriculture.

According to Dr. Hai, treating livestock wastewater to regulatory standards does not stop at controlling environmental pollution; it also unlocks opportunities to use post-treatment resources. If systematically researched, strictly controlled, and implemented under sound technical protocols, this water source will help conserve water resources, leverage existing nutrient contents, and significantly cut input costs for crop cultivation.

Tay Ninh currently holds substantial strengths in livestock farming alongside large-scale intensive crop cultivation zones. Concentrated farm clusters create favorable conditions to research and establish circular resource linkages between animal husbandry and crop production.

Recently, the Institute has coordinated with provincial departments and sectors to conduct comprehensive surveys and assessments of water sources, soil conditions, crop varieties, and production environments across the province. This provides an essential practical basis for establishing pilot models while building a data system to serve future evaluation and replication.

However, Dr. Truong Vinh Hai emphasized that the pilot model's core objective is not simply to prove wastewater can be reused. The most critical factor is clearly defining usage thresholds, establishing safety protocols, assessing economic and environmental efficiency, and strengthening scientific arguments before widespread rollout.

The application must clarify specific technical criteria for each crop group and plant growth characteristics in harmonious balance with the soil and surrounding environment. Therefore, IAS looks forward to continuing close coordination with regulatory agencies, experts, enterprises, and farmers to clarify water quality standards and ensure strict compliance with legal regulations on the environment and agricultural production.

From a local regulatory perspective, Ms. Dinh Thi Phuong Khanh, Deputy Director of the Tay Ninh Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said that by incorporating stakeholder feedback, the Department will select appropriate elements to guide the pilot rollout, ensuring rigorous control over all emerging factors.

Department leadership affirmed that this model directly impacts science, technology, and the ecological environment. Therefore, the top priority is developing optimal technical solutions to minimize failure risks. Throughout operations, surveillance, sampling, analysis, and evaluation must be conducted periodically across each production phase using accurate testing methodologies.

Given its experimental nature, the model will generate multidimensional impacts. The immediate goal must be to guarantee absolute safety before proceeding with technology transfer and expansion plans. Besides technical elements, legal aspects and risk governance must be emphasized. The model must operate under strict control, with clear plans for preventive measures and prompt incident response.

The Tay Ninh Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment anticipates active participation from local administrations, cooperatives, farming households, and experts during implementation. Practical on-site feedback will serve as valuable groundwork to refine the model before large-scale application.

Transforming treated livestock wastewater into an irrigation resource, when governed by scientific procedures, will not only alleviate waste management pressures but also optimize water and nutrient resources, laying a solid foundation for circular agriculture in Tay Ninh.