After wrapping up a feasibility study with Fresh Studio and Ridder Growing Solutions, HollandDoor’s Geerten Van der Lugt and Jos Leeters concluded that the greenhouse cultivation sector in the highlands of Vietnam is ready to introduce water recycling technology. The study, conducted in the second half of 2020, explored the arguments and drivers for farmers in Da Lat, in Vietnam’s Lam Dong province, to invest in drain water recycling systems.
Farmers have strong interests once they reach a certain scale, with sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries being priority crops. Further steps are now on the agenda as a result of the study, particularly the implementation of a pilot in Da Lat to test the collection, disinfection, and reuse of drain water on a commercial scale.
In our project, we informed farmers of the extent to which they can save water and fertilizers by using recycling technology in their greenhouses. Vietnamese farmers often prioritize cost savings, but they are also aware of the environmental benefits of reducing water use and nutrient leaching.
Although farmers are not yet forced to collect and reuse water under the current Vietnamese regulations, the fact that such legislation will come soon is another reason to consider this technology. Water recycling technology is extremely common, if not compulsory, in many countries including the Netherlands.
HollandDoor has been active in the Vietnamese horticulture sector for years and entered the Vietnamese livestock and dairy sector in 2019. Fresh Studio and Ridder are strong partners in horticulture projects. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency’s “Partners voor Water” subsidy program provided this study with indispensable support. International travel was not possible due to Covid-19, so all investigations, group sessions, and interviews were conducted online.
