Circular economy, income security and environment

Fertilizer processing plant of Song Lam Tay Bac Fertilizer Joint Stock Company.

Clearly define goals and roadmap

The province currently has 85,000 hectares of fruit trees and hawthorn trees. Of these, 2,200 hectares apply water-saving irrigation systems; more than 4,750 hectares meet VietGAP standards and equivalent; 8 growing areas are recognized for applying high technology.

The Resolution of the 15th Provincial Party Congress of Son La, term 2020 - 2025, set the goal of building Son La province to "develop green, fast, and sustainably". Accordingly, the orientation focuses on developing on 3 pillars: High-tech agriculture, processing industry and clean energy, tourism... contributing to greening economic sectors.

To materialize the set goals, the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee have issued many resolutions, conclusions and projects in the fields of agriculture , rural areas and tourism. The focus is Resolution No. 06-NQ/TU dated January 21, 2021 on the development of agricultural processing industry in the period of 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030; and Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU on the development of agriculture, forestry and fishery in a concentrated, sustainable direction, applying high technology to 2025, with a vision to 2030.

Bioway AT - 6H fertilizer processing line of Song Lam Tay Bac Fertilizer Joint Stock Company.

Comrade Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, said: The province has seriously implemented the policies of the Party and Government on developing green economy, circular economy; transforming the growth model, focusing on exploiting and effectively using resources and energy, applying digital technology , developing sustainable infrastructure, taking advantage of competitive advantages, while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.

Many green, circular agricultural models have been developed and replicated, such as: VAC (garden - pond - barn); VACB (garden - pond - barn - biogas); VACR (garden - pond - barn - forest); producing organic fertilizer from agricultural by-products to fertilize crops; utilizing livestock waste as fertilizer, raising earthworms or biogas tanks to provide biofuel for households.

Pioneering businesses

The sugar processing plant of Son La Sugarcane Joint Stock Company has a processing capacity of 5,000 tons of sugarcane per day and about 600,000 tons of sugarcane per crop, discharging tens of thousands of tons of sugarcane bagasse and sugarcane sludge each year. The company uses biotechnology to turn waste and garbage into input materials in production.

Officials from the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center guide people on how to compost straw as reserve feed for livestock.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tai, Director of the Sugar Processing Factory, said: The Company uses bagasse as fuel to generate electricity, helping to save energy. At the same time, the Company has also invested in a workshop to produce microbial fertilizer from 5,000 - 6,000 tons of fermented sludge, along with 3,000 - 4,000 tons of ash from the furnace to fertilize the sugarcane raw material area. The closed, circular production process helps the Company minimize costs and protect the environment.

Taking advantage of agricultural by-products such as coffee husks, cassava residues and livestock waste, Song Lam Tay Bac Fertilizer Joint Stock Company produces nutrient-rich organic microbial fertilizers, helping to develop safe and sustainable agriculture. In September 2022, the Company became the first unit in Vietnam to receive Bioway AT-6H technology from Bioway Organic VN Company to produce fertilizers.

Guide people of Chieng Co commune, City to compost manure with agricultural by-products.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Hung, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Song Lam Tay Bac Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, said: With Bioway AT-6H microbial fermentation technology, each year, the factory processes 70,000-80,000 tons of waste and by-products from agricultural processing facilities, such as coffee husks, cassava pulp, sugarcane bagasse and livestock by-products, to produce 45,000 tons of organic fertilizer. To ensure raw materials for production, the Company has signed contracts to purchase all waste and by-products from agricultural processing and primary processing units and livestock facilities in Son La province and the Northwest region.

At Moc Chau Dairy Cattle Breeding Joint Stock Company, a closed production and breeding process is implemented, using the entire stem and leaves of corn biomass as input materials for the factory producing feed for dairy cows; using livestock waste and by-products as input materials for organic fertilizer production.

Mr. Pham Hai Nam, General Director of the Company, said: The Company considers environmental treatment a regular task, closely linked to development, coordinating with the Institute of Agricultural Environmental Research to apply biotechnology to treat waste. Currently, 100% of livestock households have treatment systems, of which 36 households and the Breeding Center use separation technology to process manure into commercial products, increasing income, with an investment of nearly 1 billion VND per household.

Processing corn biomass at Moc Chau Dairy Cattle Breeding Joint Stock Company.

Currently, many enterprises and cooperatives in the province are utilizing waste and by-products from farming as fuel for electricity production, drying agricultural products, making biochar and using ash as raw material for fertilizer production. These models help reduce waste, increase income and create more jobs for local workers.

No trade-off between environment and growth

Ms. Cam Thi Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: Green economy and circular economy in Son La have initially developed, but there are still many difficulties. Awareness of these economic models in society, from the government to businesses and people, is still unclear, and needs to be further promoted and studied. At the same time, attracting investment capital to green projects is still limited due to high conversion costs and not attractive enough for investors.

Building biogas tanks to treat livestock waste.

On April 14, 2025, Son La Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 97/KH-UBND to implement Decision No. 222/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, on the National Action Plan to implement the circular economy by 2035 in Son La. The goal by 2030 is to reduce the exploitation of non-renewable resources, rationally manage water resources, especially clean underground water, while improving the efficiency of resource use and saving energy... 100% of industrial parks, production, business and service establishments are required to install automatic wastewater and emission monitoring systems and transmit data directly according to regulations. All seriously polluting establishments are 100% treated, no new seriously polluting establishments are established in the province. The rate of collection and treatment of domestic solid waste reaches 98% in urban areas and 90% in rural areas. The rate of wastewater treatment from production, business, service establishments and industrial parks reaches over 70% before discharging into river and stream basins.

To achieve the goal, Son La province focuses on raising awareness of circular economy for officials, businesses and people. At the same time, applying new technology to effectively develop circular economy, reduce pollution, protect nature and biodiversity... towards green, sustainable development and building Son La into a high-tech agricultural center of the Northwest region.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/kinh-te-tuan-hoan-dam-bao-thu-nhap-va-moi-truong-IW4scUaHR.html