ĐẮK LẮK — More than VNĐ4 trillion (US$157.48 million) in registered investment capital for livestock projects is helping Đắk Lắk speed up its shift towards large-scale, high-tech livestock farming.

The Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, in coordination with relevant departments and agencies in Đắk Lắk Province, held a forum on developing safe and sustainable livestock farming while protecting the environment in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands regions on Friday.

Speaking at the forum, Nguyễn Thiên Văn, vice chairman of the Đắk Lắk Provincial People's Committee, said the South Central Coast and Central Highlands play an important role in agricultural development, accounting for approximately 30 per cent of the livestock sector's total production value.

The regions have significant advantages in land resources, natural conditions, agricultural by-products and transport links between the highlands and coastal areas. These provide favourable conditions for developing large-scale commercial livestock farming linked to processing and distribution.

In Đắk Lắk, the livestock sector is moving away from small-scale, traditional farming towards larger, high-tech farms, while gradually developing integrated supply chains.

The province's total livestock and poultry population was estimated at more than 23.47 million by the end of last month, including approximately 29,690 buffaloes, 389,090 cattle, more than 1.25 million pigs and over 21.8 million poultry.

Nguyễn Văn Minh, head of the Đắk Lắk Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, said the province's total meat production, measured in live weight, is expected to reach 401,920 tonnes this year, up from 292,079 tonnes in 2021.

However, Minh said the province's livestock production areas, slaughterhouses and processing facilities have yet to meet the requirements for developing an integrated production chain.

To address these shortcomings, the province has called for standards to be issued soon to assess livestock farming operations and support environmental inspections and monitoring. It has also requested guidelines on organising local veterinary services to ensure effective vaccination programmes, slaughterhouse inspections and disease prevention and control.

Đắk Lắk is also attracting major investment in high-tech agriculture. The province currently has 66 livestock projects that have received in-principle investment approval or investment registration certificates.

Of these, 30 projects have been completed and are operating steadily, covering more than 1,354 hectares, with registered investment capital exceeding VNĐ4 trillion.

The forum reviewed livestock development in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands regions and identified challenges in waste treatment and pollution control.

Participants also discussed solutions to promote safe and sustainable livestock farming, including ways to better align producers' needs with government policies, technical advances and waste treatment technologies. — VNS