LIVESTOCK POLICIES IN SON LA PROVINCE, 
VIETNAM 
A REVIEW 
Pham Van Dung1, Adam Savelli1, Mai Thanh Tu2, Nguyen-Viet Hung3, Le Thi Thanh Huyen4, 
Sabine Douxchamps1
1 International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Hanoi, Vietnam 
2 International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Son La, 
Vietnam 
3 International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Hanoi, Vietnam 
4 National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Hanoi, Vietnam 
Hanoi, Vietnam 
December 2020
  
Table of Contents 
Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………...………3 
1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………4 
2. Recent livestock production trends in Vietnam ………………………………………………………..5 
3. Livestock policies at the national level ………………………..………………………………………...6 
3.1. Policies related to land-use …………………………………………………...…………………….6 
3.2. Policies related to livestock feed ………………………………..………………………………….7 
3.3. Policies related to breed development ……………………………………..………….……………8 
3.4. Policies related to credit provision …………………………………………..………………..…….9 
3.5. Policies related to epidemiology ………………………………………………..………...……….11 
3.6. Policies related to agricultural extension services ………………………………..……..…...……12 
3.7. Policies related to public investment ………………………………………………..…....……….13 
3.8. Policies related to livestock master planning ……………………………………………………...14 
4. Livestock production and policies in Son La province ……………………………………………….15 
4.1. Policies related to land-use …………………………………………………………..……………16 
4.2. Policies related to livestock feed …………………………………………………………...…..….16 
4.3. Policies related to breed development ………………………………………………...…………..16 
4.4. Policies related to credit provision ……………………………………………………………..….17  
4.5. Policies related to epidemiology ………………………………………………..……………...….18 
4.6. Policies related to agricultural extension services ………………………………………………...18 
4.7. Policies related to public investment …………………………………………………...………....19 
4.8. Policies related to livestock master planning ……………………………………………………...19 
5. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………….21 
Acknowledgments ………………………………………………….………………………………………22 
References ………………………………………………………………………………..………………...23 
Appendix I. Livestock policies at the national level …………….……………………………………….26 
Appendix II. Livestock policies in Son La ……………………………………………………………….33 
 
 
  
Abstract 
Since the market-oriented Doi Moi reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, Vietnam’s livestock 
sector has experienced rapid growth. Although policies have been implemented at the 
national and provincial levels to guide this growth in a sustainable manner, blind spots and 
implementation gaps remain. Through a review of policy documents, grey literature, peer-
reviewed journal articles, and key informant interviews, this research seeks to summarize 
livestock-related policies at the national and provincial levels in Son La, Vietnam. Policies 
related to land-use, livestock feed, animal breed development, credit provision, 
epidemiology, agricultural extensions services, public investment, and sectoral master 
planning are examined. Based on this review, the authors recommend greater support for 
smaller actors in Son La’s livestock value chains, mainly in the form of additional research 
and development, increased credit provision and agricultural insurance, improved 
agricultural extension services, and strengthened local processing capacity. These policy 
interventions and investments, among others, will be critical to achieving the government’s 
ambitious livestock production targets over the coming decade. Notably, more robust public 
intervention and support is required to unlock this growth. Additional funding for local-
level Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) initiatives and improved 
coordination between its national and provincial offices will be a key determinant in 
achieving sustainable intensification in Son La’s livestock sector. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
 
1. Introduction 
With increasing consumer demand for meat and dairy products leading to the intensification of 
production systems, livestock is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in Vietnam. 
Since the launch of the Doi Moi economic reforms in 1986, which aimed to transition Vietnam 
from a centrally-planned to a market-driven economy, demand for food has steadily increased 
in line with a growing population, while rising incomes have led to changes in dietary 
preferences. In 2019, 49,600 private companies were active in Vietnam’s agricultural sector, 
accounting for 8% of all domestic businesses. Of these, 7,600 engage in direct production, with 
the rest participating in related value chain activities. As the dominant mode of livestock 
production has shifted from smallholders rearing local breeds for sale in traditional markets to 
intensive industrialized production systems on mid-, large-, and mega-sized farms, the number 
of households raising animals has diminished as total animal populations have grown. In 2019, 
livestock production accounted for one-third of Vietnam’s agricultural GDP (Cesaro et al., 
2019). 
The inherent cost and productivity limitations of smallholder farming have been capitalized on 
by larger operators, leading to the emergence of new farming models, processing facilities, and 
distribution systems with strengthened linkages across the value chain. Vietnam’s livestock 
sector is also growing more dependent on foreign markets as trade liberalization has increased 
competition between domestic and imported products, including animals, feed, processing 
services, and veterinary drugs. While changing market dynamics have ensured a stable supply 
of animals to meet increasing levels of market demand, small producers have been negatively 
impacted by increased competition and a lack of government support. In response, a series of 
policy reforms and institutional innovations have aimed to support market-oriented changes in 
livestock production, trade, and consumption. These policies relate principally to land-use, 
animal feed, credit provision, epidemiology, agricultural extension services, public investment, 
and sectoral master planning. 
The objective of this review is to identify key livestock policies since the onset of Vietnam’s 
Doi Moi economic reforms at the national level, as well as at the provincial level in Son La. 
Based on the report’s findings, recommendations will be made to promote sustainable livestock 
production in Son La province through 2030. 
The livestock species examined here include cattle (beef and dairy), pigs, poultry and small 
ruminants. The policies reviewed have all been issued since the onset of the Doi Moi reforms 
in 1986, and specifically address aspects of livestock production, trade, or consumption. Data 
collection occurred in two stages. First, state policies and related secondary data published by 
government organizations, including the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), and the Son La People’s Executive Committee 
(SLPEC), were reviewed. Official reports were then supplemented with peer-reviewed 
academic papers, news reports, and grey literature from non-governmental research and 
development organizations. Second, key informant interviews were conducted with experts 
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Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
from provincial and national government organizations, including MARD’s Department of 
Livestock Production, MARD’s Department of Animal Health (DAH), MARD’s National 
Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), MARD’s Institute for Policy and Strategy for Culture and 
Rural Development (IPSARD), MARD’s various provincial offices in Son La, the Son La 
People’s Executive Committee, and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Key 
informant interviews were performed with experts at both the national and provincial levels. 
2. Recent livestock production trends in Vietnam 
Between 1990 and 2019, Vietnam’s cattle (beef and dairy), goat, pig, poultry, and sheep 
populations have increased, while those of buffalo and horse have decreased slightly. In 2017, 
poultry comprised 91.6% of Vietnam’s total livestock population, followed by swine (6.5%), 
cattle (beef and dairy) (1.34%), and buffalo (0.59%). The average annual growth rate of 
Vietnam’s livestock sector between 2007 and 2017 was 4.92% (General Statistical Office, 
2019a). Geographically, cattle populations are concentrated in in the Central Highland and 
Northern Midland and Mountain regions, while buffalo are more common in the Northern 
Mountains. Poultry and swine are reared throughout the country, with the highest population 
density in the Red River Delta and Southeastern regions. 
The consumption of livestock products–especially pork, cow milk, and eggs–has increased 
dramatically between 2010 and 2020, with growth rates in Vietnam leading all countries in the 
Southeast Asian region (World Bank group, 2016). The total production quantity of meat has 
increased by 152% between 2007 and 2016, from 3.29 to 5.02 million tons. The production of 
cattle and poultry meat products has grown 174% faster than the average output of all animal 
populations, equivalent to 8.6% per year over the same period. 
In terms of quantity, pork comprises 73.0% of total livestock production, with 3.7 million tons 
produced in 2019. However, this is down 25.5% from previous year due to the spread of 
African swine fever (see Policies related to epidemiology section). The same year, poultry 
accounted for 960,000 tons , or 19.1% of total livestock production, and meat products from 
buffalo and beef comprised 6.1% and 1.7%, respectively (General Statistical Office, 2019b). 
Milk production grew by 240% between 2007 and 2016, to 795.1 million liters annually, while 
egg production increased by 136% over the same period, to 10.6 million eggs annually (General 
Statistical Office, 2019b). 
Scientific advances in locally-suited livestock breeds have enabled significant growth in 
Vietnam’s livestock populations. New hybrid breeds offer improved yields, higher quality 
meat, enhanced disease resistance, reduced input necessity, and shorter rearing times. Genetic 
combinations of Landrace, Yorkshire, Pietrain, and Duroc pig breeds have been incorporated 
into multi-generational breeding schemes spanning up to four generations (National Agency 
for Science and Technology Information, 2019). As a result, national average dressed carcass 
weights increased from 56.5 kg to 70 kg (Lien, 2019). The new hybrids also have increased 
reproductive capacities and higher quality meat.  
Similarly, artificial insemination was used to crossbreed imported Holstein Friesian cattle with 
the local Lai Sind breed to produce a new, more locally-suited variety. The new breeds 
5 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
variously feature 50%, 75%, and 87% HF genetic classifications (Cai, 2009; Hanh, 2010). 
When cross-breeding beef cattle, imported breeds (including Red Sindhi, Sahiwal, Brahman, 
Red Angus, Droughtmaster, Limousine, Crimousine, Simmental, Charolaise, Hereford, 
Santagestrudis, and Belgian Blue) generally comprise at least 63% of the new breed’s genetic 
classification (Cai, 2007). Artificial insemination technology is expensive, and difficult to 
access in the remote mountainous regions of Northern Vietnam, where, as a result, local beef 
cattle varieties are most common. On the contrary, in the well-connected and relatively affluent 
Mekong and Red River Deltas, improved hybrid varieties dominate. 
3. Livestock policies at the national level 
3.1. Policies related to land-use 
Between 1990 and 2012, Vietnam’s agricultural lands have more than tripled (OECD, 2015).  
By the end of 2018, more than 25 million hectares (ha) were being used for agricultural 
purposes, accounting for 82% of all natural areas and 88% of total land use (General Statistical 
Office, 2019c). Of the agricultural total, 600 thousand ha of land were used for livestock 
production–mainly farm lands and permanent pastures and meadows (General Statistical 
Office, 2019c; OECD, 2015a). Lands allocated to pasture and meadows doubled in the 1990s, 
when expansion then plateaued (OECD, 2015b). The average land area per agricultural 
household is currently 0.46 hectares, with each household owning an average of 2.8 parcels of 
land (Chung, 2018; MONRE, 2019; Vien, 2017).  
To accommodate and support the expansion of lands used for livestock production, the 
National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (the NA), the President, the Office of 
the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) have 
enacted a multitude of policies related to land-use and management. Resolution No. 26-
NQ/TW, passed in 2008, is a wide-ranging policy that touches on many aspects of agricultural 
production. In terms of land-use, the policy seeks to expand private land ownership and 
strengthen the land-use rights of the individual. This Resolution stripped back many of the pre-
Doi Moi restrictions on the private ownership of property and employment outside of formal 
cooperatives by stipulating that private owners could now purchase the land-use rights for 
specific agricultural plots for fifty-year periods, after which the state is free to reallocate that 
land to a new user. By introducing longer tenures, the Vietnamese state hoped to encourage the 
use of sustainable, rather than exhaustive, farming practices. Key provisions of the Resolution 
were reinforced by 2012’s Resolution No.19-NQ/TW.  
Decrees No. 13/2003/QH11 and 181/2004/ND-CP, passed in 2003 and 2004, respectively, are 
related and articulate various classifications of agricultural and non-agricultural land types, 
including land reserved for livestock farming, pasture and other livestock-related land types.  
National policies concerning land-use and management for agricultural and livestock are 
largely designed to support market-driven economic growth. Rather than benefitting 
smallholder farmers, these policies have created the conditions for land accumulation among a 
smaller number of owners with larger land holdings. Initially, the policies attracted a number 
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Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
of entrepreneurs to the field of animal husbandry; this caused animal populations to rapidly 
increase and enabled the emergence of large-scale farming models and increased production.  
3.2. Policies related to livestock feed 
Animal feed is a crucial input and typically accounts for between 65% and 70% of Vietnam’s 
total livestock production costs. In line with rapid population growth, particularly of pigs and 
poultry, demand for feed has increased sharply and led to increased domestic production and 
rising imports. Vietnam’s domestic animal feed industry is heavily dependent on imported raw 
materials to produce concentrated animal feed. More than USD $ 1.6 billion was spent on their 
import in the first five months of 2019, up 0.3% compared to the same period in 2018. According 
to several policies, protein-rich ingredients such as dried meat-bone flour, soybean, maize, and 
dried fish flour, must comprise 90% of ingredients, with the remaining 10% comprised of 
minerals, vitamins, and other additives (Giap, 2015). During the first five months of 2019, 769 
thousand tons of soybeans, worth US $ 304 million, and 4 million tons of maize worth US $82 
million were imported to Vietnam (Chan Nuoi Viet Nam, 2019a). While exact quantities are 
difficult to specify, a large portion of both commodities was intended for the production of 
animal feed. 
Within Vietnam’s feed production industry, monopolization, unfair competition, and price 
manipulation are common (General Statistics Office of Vietnam, 2019). In 2015, 239 animal 
feed processing plants were operating in Vietnam, of which 180 were domestically-owned 
companies and 59 either partly or fully-owned by foreign entities (Giap, 2015). Animal feed 
companies funded with foreign capital occupy a large and increasing share of the Vietnamese 
market. As the market is dominated by large players, it is often difficult for smaller companies 
to compete on price and volume. This leads to issues of unfair competition, particularly as large 
firms employ exclusive distribution contracts and steep discounts, both of which have the effect 
of preventing smaller competitors from entering the market. These actions harm not just small 
competitors, but farmers and consumers as well, as without competition large producers are 
able to sell their products at inflated prices. Furthermore, feed quality standards are poorly 
enforced and many companies fraudulently list ingredients. The official agencies charged with 
sectoral oversight–The Department of Livestock Production, The Provincial Department of 
Agriculture and Rural Development, and the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality 
Assurance Department–generally lack both the resources and capacity to adequately enforce 
the various policies related to production management and competition. 
Despite these challenges, several policies aim to satisfy the needs of livestock producers in 
terms of demand and quality satisfaction. These policies, mainly decrees from MARD, focus 
on home-based silage production, the production of concentrated feed, the management of 
imported raw materials, quality standardization, business conditions, the trial-testing-approval-
certification process, and the addition of antibiotics and probiotics. 
Decision No. 90/2006/QD-BNN from 2006 identifies permissible types of livestock feeds and 
the raw materials to be used for domestic animal feed production for import. In 2009, Decision 
No. 168/QĐCN-TACN designated the official research centers to carry out the quality testing 
7 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
of livestock feeds. Decision No. 116/2009/QĐ-TTg, from 2009, modifies the types of feeds 
that are permitted for domestic use. In 2017, Decree No. 39/2017/ND-CP amended Decree No. 
08/2010/ND-CP in regulating the management of animal feed, the business conditions 
surrounding its trade, quality and testing standards, and the certification of different feed types. 
The government pledged to invest in research, development, and capacity building for feed 
examination and quality control, while obligating producers to maintain production records for 
three years and to include nutritional information on product packaging. Decision no. 
2625/2017/QĐ-BNN-TY strictly regulated the use of antibiotics in animal feed by specifying 
the permissible purpose, type, and quantity of each to be included according to both feed and 
livestock type. The policy’s ultimate goal is to boost immunity levels in livestock populations 
while not adversely affecting levels in humans through the consumption of residual livestock 
products. 
3.3. Policies related to breed development 
Public research centers such as the National Institute of Animal Science, the Poultry Research 
Center, the Large Ruminant Breeding Center, and the Thuy Phuong Pig Research Center have 
been successful in cross-breeding and distributing new breeds of pig, cow, and poultry across 
Vietnam. Though publicly administered, these research centers also sell the hybrid breeds they 
develop. While this market-oriented public research has resulted in increasing livestock 
populations and the wide dissemination of improved breeds, major gaps remain in the policy 
landscape surrounding the livestock breeding industry. 
 One of the oldest and most influential policies related to livestock breeding is the National 
Assembly Standing Committee, 2004 ordinance No.16/2004/PL-UBTVQH11. It is a wide-
ranging piece of legislation organized around five key breeding issues: the management and 
conservation of genetic resources; the research, crossing, selection, testing, and recognition of 
new breeds; the production and trading of livestock breeds; breed quality management, and; 
the inspection and resolution of disputes (Department of Livestock Production, 2020). While 
the ordinance has been largely successful in bringing structure to a previously unregulated 
industry, it did not address several key issues, including product quality standards, human 
resource capacity, and skills training. 
Several interrelated policies seek to address these policy gaps. Presidential Decree 
No.34/2001/QD-BNN-VP empowers MARD to determine a set list of animals breeds for 
commercial breeding, mandates businesses to comply with restrictions relating to animal 
housing areas and technical specifications, requires breeding staff to hold at least a bachelor’s 
degree in animal husbandry, and obliges breeding farms to maintain computerized computer 
records detailing the animal reproduction cycle. Presidential Policies No.225/1999/QD-TTg 
and 17/2006/QD-TTg set out regulations relating to business permits and operating procedures, 
administrative violations and sanctions, an updated list of breeds permitted for commercial 
production, and measures to preserve indigenous breeds. Decree No.119/2013/NĐ-CP seeks to 
protect animal health by laying out administrative violations and related sanctions related to 
the mismanagement of genetic resources. Specifically, it aims to manage the conservation of 
rare genetic resources, introduces regulations on the parameters for experimentation with new 
8 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
breeds, regulates biosecurity measures, and introduces a certification, permit, and licensing 
system for the trading of new livestock breeds.  
Though MARD administers provincial-level offices and programs in 43 of Vietnam’s 63 
provinces, gaps between national policy and local implementation remain. In particular, 
Vietnam lacks a centralized livestock breed monitoring, tracking, and management system. 
Additionally, provincial animal breeding research centers often lack adequate tools, 
technologies, and resources. This leads to a lack of qualified personnel who are able to carry 
out management, monitoring, and inspection services. This limits regionally-specific breed 
research and development efforts, and exacerbates existing inequalities between Vietnam’s 
poorer, often more remote regions, and its wealthier ones. Shortcomings in livestock breeding 
also result in diminished production, and the number of annual livestock in Vietnam is notably 
lower than those in other Southeast Asian countries . Stunted productivity results in knock-on 
economic impacts, as livestock breeds are often insufficiently productive to participate in large 
supply chain activities, cutting off a key opportunity for the livestock sector to contribute to 
Vietnam’s economic growth.  
3.4. Policies related to credit provision  
To keep pace with the expanding livestock sector, in recent years the State Bank of Vietnam 
has accelerated the development of agricultural and rural credit schemes. As a result, multiple 
policies and new financial mechanisms have been deployed to help farmers access productive 
capital. Additionally, the network of physical banking locations that issue credit for livestock 
raising has grown, the debt ceiling for individual loaners has increased, and the capital 
requirements for receiving loans have been relaxed. However, the increased provision of credit 
can lead to increasing default rates. To combat this, Vietnam’s lending institutions have, over 
time, modified lending conditions and repayment terms to protect against default. This has made 
accessing credit easier for agricultural producers and helped diversify the profile of Vietnamese 
borrowers to include many livestock producers.  
Due to growth in the number of organizations providing agricultural credit, and the 
diversification of credit packages designed for agricultural producers, the number of farmers (and 
producer organizations, cooperatives, and businesses large and small) receiving loans has grown. 
In the period from 1994 to 2007, the proportion of rural households receiving loans has increased 
from 9% to 70% (The State Bank of Vietnam, 2009). This growth in credit provision has led to 
a restructuring of Vietnam’s agricultural business environment and greatly influenced rural 
development as a whole. In particular, enhanced rural infrastructure (electrical networks, roads, 
irrigation systems) and the increasing availability of loans for small and medium firms, including 
those processing cattle and poultry products, have driven growth in the livestock sector. A 
relaxation of collateral requirements has increased the amount of credit loaned to households to 
VND 30 million, without providing mortgage assets. In remote areas, this maximum can be as 
high as 100 million VND per household. 
Credit for livestock production (and other agricultural activities) is issued by a variety of state 
banks, commercial banks, and civil society organizations. The Vietnam Bank for Agriculture 
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Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
and Rural Development (Agribank) and the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) are the 
largest lenders, and issued a combined 65% of all agricultural credits in Vietnam in 2018 (Alan 
et al., 2019). 
The People's Credit Fund (PCF) is a system of communal savings and credit cooperatives that 
are member-owned and run. The PCF model serves to distribute credit, provide banking 
services, and mobilize local capital for on-site lending in rural, historically under-banked areas 
through local networks and a relatively fast loan approval process. Despite its small size, the 
PCF network provides 4% off all lending to the agricultural/rural development sector, and  
plays a notable role in poverty reduction, providing micro-financing for crop production, 
livestock rearing, and aquaculture (World Bank, 2019).  
At present, there are 989 PCFs operating in Vietnam with a total capitalization of 
approximately VND 14,000 billion (US $606 million). Total outstanding loans are worth 
approximately VND 12,000 billion (US $519 million) and nearly 1.3 million households have 
participated in the PCF scheme (The State Bank of Vietnam, 2009; World Bank, 2019). 
Since the early 1990s, foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have increasingly 
provided technical assistance for agricultural credit programs. In the agricultural space, Groupe 
de Recherche et d'Echanges Technologiques, ActionAid, Développement International Des 
Jardins, the Save The Children Fund, and OXFAM have all been active in helping the rural 
poor mobilize savings, and in capacity building for community savings and loan groups. Many 
NGOs tend to focus attention on the poor, women, and ethnic minority communities in 
remotely-located areas as these groups have the most difficulty accessing formal credit 
schemes (The State Bank of Vietnam, 2009). These loans are often classed as either 
conventional loans, which have similar interest rates to those offered by commercial institutions, 
or preferred loans, with concessional interest rates. Multilateral development institutions such as 
the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Food and Agriculture 
Organization of the United Nations, and the Asian Development Bank often disburse credit to 
various value chain actors as part of their programmatic implementation. 
Several policies regulating loan packages, interest rates, repayment terms, and initiatives to 
protect producers from environmental hazards have been enacted. The agricultural credit system 
as a whole was established in 1999 by the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 67/1999/QD-TTg, 
which allowed Vietnamese financial institutions to lend capital to individuals and businesses 
in the agricultural sector. In 2015, Decree No.55/2015/ND-CP expanded this ability to foreign-
owned banks operating in Vietnam. Decree No. 106/2004/ND-CP, from 2004, is aimed at 
helping larger livestock-oriented businesses–such as poultry and cattle production farms, 
processing facilities, and slaughter houses–access credit for productive investment and 
businesses development. 2016’s Decision No.1197/QD-BNN-KH in 2016 amended the earlier 
Decision No. 3346/QD-BNN-KH by restructuring the agricultural sector with the aim of 
orienting it toward enhanced production value and sustainable rural development. This is to be 
achieved by promoting pro-poor value chain value chains and improving rural market linkages. 
Decree No.57/2018/NĐ-CP, passed by the Vietnamese government in 2018, laid out several new 
financing mechanisms to encourage investment into agriculture production, including the 
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Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
livestock subsector. The policy focuses on capital and credit support, the reduction and 
exemption of specific agricultural service fees (paid to the state), land taxes, land rental fees, and 
allocates a portion of funds raised to support further investments in infrastructure and 
technologies related to the livestock sector. 
Although credit programs for agricultural production, including livestock production, and rural 
development have proven popular, their capitalization still lags significantly behind non-
agricultural credit programs in Vietnam. A key reason for this is that no commercial finance 
institutions are active in the sector as they view agricultural production too risky for investment. 
Instead, state banks with a developmental remit remain the main agricultural lenders. 
3.5. Policies related to epidemiology 
Since 2000, Vietnam’s livestock subsector has been ravaged by successive disease outbreaks, 
including avian influenza virus H5N1, foot and mouth disease (FMD), porcine reproductive 
and respiratory syndrome (also known as “blue ear” disease), and, most recently, African swine 
fever (ASF) (OECD, 2015b). In 2017 alone, 40 outbreaks of avian influenza virus H5N1 and 
the related A/H5N6 strain impacted poultry production in 21 provinces. In total, 50,316 heads 
of poultry were infected, leading to the destruction of 73,835 animals (MARD, 2018). In the 
same year, 13 outbreaks of FMD occurred in 4 provinces, infecting 1,429 animals. However, 
the most severe disease affecting Vietnam’s livestock sector is ASF, which occurs in all ages 
and breeds of pig. ASF’s death rate is 100% as currently no treatments or vaccinations exist. 
As of 2019, ASF has killed approximately 3.3 million pigs in Vietnam, with the Northern 
Mountain regions, the Northern Coastal area, and the Central Highlands impacted most acutely 
(MARD, 2018; BaoPhuong, 2019; Vietnamonline, 2019).  
To address these epidemiological challenges, several policies were urgently issued. Compared 
with other agricultural policies, those concerning livestock disease control offer a robust toolkit 
of actions to prop up the industry, including subsidies and price controls on inputs and outputs, 
financial support for breeders and credit packages to speed the recovery of impacted producers. 
In 2019, Government Resolution No.42/NQ-CP provided financial support for farmers, 
ranchers, and cooperatives impacted by ASF. Support was based on the market price and 
production costs for each breed of pig, and small and medium enterprises were typically 
eligible for support equaling 30% of their ASF-related losses. Presidential Decision 
No.793/QĐ-TTg, also issued in 2019,  provided financial support to for value chain actors to 
take pre-emptive measure to stop the spread of ASF. Producer households were  eligible for up 
to 30,000 VND/kg of pig, and small and medium commercial enterprises up to 10,000 VND/kg. 
For purebred sows, up to 500,000 VND/head in support was available through 31 December 
2019. 
In addition to those targeting ASF, Decisions No.1681/QĐ-TTg and No.1791/QD-TTg address 
the risks posed by blue-ear pig disease and hog cholera, and Decision No.476/QD-BNN sought 
to prevent the porcine spread of FMD by identifying and segregating high-risk areas through the 
use of buffer zones. Many of these policies increased the compensation level available to farmers 
per infected pig (and chickens, with regard to outbreaks of H5N1, A/H5N6, and Newcastle 
11 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
disease), in hopes of encouraging farmers to destroy infected animals rather than sell them on the 
black market. Between 2005 and 2015, compensation rates per animals increased by 15% 
(OECD, 2015a). Actions laid out in epidemiological policies are often financed by the national 
Ministry of Finance, supported by research, development, and technology from MARD, and 
operationalized at the local level by provincial agencies  (OECD, 2015a). Simultaneously, 
Vietnamese research centers have taken a proactive role in the development of new and hard-
to-access vaccines for common diseases, notably for foot-and-mouth disease, with the goal of 
boosting domestic supplies and reducing reliance on imports. The government also encouraged 
large-scale livestock producers, such as GreenFeed Vietnam, Masan, Dabaco, and the C.P. 
Group to their biosecurity measures in order to secure national supply and stabilize prices.  
Despite concerted policy action, disease outbreaks remain a critical issue for Vietnam’s 
livestock sector. ASF is common, highly contagious, and untreatable. Small producers still 
struggle to apply adequate biosecurity practices, and the illegal trading of ill animals continues. 
As production area is expensive, livestock population density tends to be high on smallholder 
operations, which allows the rapid spread of pathogens from one animal to the next. 
Additionally, local animal testing and quarantine points are sparse and, where available, often 
lack the equipment and capacity to carry out effective animal testing, isolate sick animals and 
pre-emptively notify communities of targeted epidemiological risks. 
3.6. Policies related to agricultural extension services 
Vietnam’s National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC) is administered by MARD and was 
established in 1993 by Decree No. 13/1993/ND-CP. The extension services’ core role is to 
support agricultural production (including in the fisheries, forestry, and livestock subsectors) 
through research initiatives, business development training, the control of epidemiological 
hazards, and the development and dissemination of improved breeds, crop varieties, productive 
practices, and technologies. Related activities include campaigns related to policy and market 
developments, training courses, demonstration plots and field models, the distribution of 
agricultural inputs, and biosecurity initiatives.  
In 2011, the NAEC employed 34,747 members nationally, equaling one staff member per 280 
agricultural producers. Of this total, 11,232 employees operate at commune level, equivalent 
to 1.14 employees–though not necessarily extension officers)–per commune. In 2016, 8,202 
communes, or 91% of Vietnam’s total, benefited from at least one dedicated extension officer 
(General Statistics Office, 2019; Phuong, 2012). In 2018, livestock and veterinary extension 
activities included the development of 46 field models with 164,325 heads of livestock, roughly 
half of which were poultry. The models sought to improve sow breeding practices, porcine 
biosecurity, and high yield poultry production practices, and featured more than 100 seminars 
attended by approximately 3,800 producers. Weekly attendance at the field models often 
exceeded 3,000 participants (MARD, 2019).  
However, the NAEC faces a number of challenges including limited human resources, a top-
down approach that is not always responsive to local needs, a lack of services tailored for 
different types of livestock production, insufficient private sector engagement, and ill-equipped 
12 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
monitoring systems that hinder planning processes (Phuong, 2012). There is also significant 
overlap between national and locally-administered extension programs, despite both being 
overseen by MARD (OECD, 2015). Furthermore, many extension programs lack a value chain 
approach and are overly focused on improving input supply while neglecting the importance 
of developing market opportunities by linking production with consumption.   
In 2018, Decree No. 83/2018/ND-CP laid out plans for wholesale reform of the NAEC’s 
services, including an organizational restructuring and alteration of the department’s 
responsibilities, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality and efficiency of services. 
These included trainings related to technology transfer, initiatives to recruit female and 
minority ethnic extension workers, and increased input subsidization for participants in 
extension programs. 
3.7. Policies related to public investment 
Public investment into Vietnam’s agricultural sector comes from the national budget via 
MARD, government bonds, loans and capital from state-owned companies. Public investment 
into the agricultural sector comprised approximately 35% of total between 2007 and 2011, with 
the remaining 65% coming from multilateral development institutions, foreign direct 
investment, and domestic commercial investment (Thuan, 2017). Operational capital, provided 
by Vietnam’s State Budget to provinces throughout the country to invest in agricultural 
production as they see fit, accounts for 8-10% of total sectoral investment. National investment 
into specific agricultural initiatives at the provincial level accounts for about 1% (Nga, 2019). 
MARD’s total budget between 2016 and 2020 was VND 70 trillion (approximately US $3 
billion) (Nga, 2019). Between 2008 and 2012, total public investment in agriculture reached 
VND 93.4 trillion (approximately US $4 billion), increasing 50% to VND 140 trillion 
(approximately US $6 billion) between 2013 and 2017 (Thuan, 2017). A large portion of these 
funds are invested in animal housing infrastructure, pest and disease control, hygiene and food 
safety, the purchase of meat, eggs, and milk as part of state initiatives to guarantee food 
security, support domestic producers, and to stabilize the price of staple foods (Nga, 2019). A 
significant portion is also used to attractive private investment, often in the form of public-
private-partnerships, to the agricultural sector.  
Several key policies related to public investment are concerned with land-use fees and taxation. 
Decrees No. 129/2003/ND-CP and No. 20/2011/ND-CP establish tax exemptions for land used 
for agricultural production, while Decree No. 61/2010/ND-CP seeks to encourage private 
sector investment in the sector by establishing tax exemptions for private companies that 
finance agricultural projects. Other influential policies deal with the provision of credit, such 
as Decisions No.67/1999/QD-TTg and No.41/2010/ND-CP, which established how banks are 
to structure agricultural loan packages. Decision No. 497/QD-TTg regulates the interest rate of 
loans used for purchasing agricultural machinery, equipment and supplies.  
Compared to other economic sectors, such as transportation or manufacturing, the return on 
public sector investments in the agricultural sector is relatively low (Nga, 2019). This is 
common in developing countries, as capital losses result from a low quality/ lack of human 
13 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
resource capacity, poor marketing infrastructure, a lack of advanced machinery and 
technology, high transaction costs, and a general weakness in agricultural market systems, 
which complicates incremental value capture and economic growth. Many projects progress 
slowly, are delayed, or fail to deliver on their intended objectives.  
3.8. Policies related to livestock master planning 
Master planning refers to wide-ranging and long-term sectoral development planning. In the 
livestock sector, these plans offer holistic strategies to ensure productivity, quality, 
competitiveness, and disease control. In 2008, Decision No. 10/2008/QD-TTg laid out a 
comprehensive agricultural development policy for Vietnam and was amended by Decisions 
No. 984/QD-BNN, in XXX, and No. 124/QD-TTg, in 2012. This trio of policies have played 
a crucial role in the sector’s growth and strategic orientation to nearly all aspects of livestock 
production and trade through 2020, including research and development, public investment, 
private investment, credit services, land allocation, breed selection, feed supply, labor, 
population growth, extension services, value chain and market systems development, 
food security, and disease outbreak prevention (Department of Livestock Production, 
2020). Overall, these policies seek to guide the sector’s development from small- to 
industrial-scale production, and include eight specific programs: pig, beef and dairy cow, 
buffalo, poultry, silkworm, animal feed, and veterinary (Department of Livestock Production, 
2020). 
On the back of these policies, Vietnam’s livestock subsector has made significant gains in 
scale, population growth, and productivity. Vietnam’s agricultural GDP grew between 6.5% 
annually between 2006-2010, and then decreased slightly between 2011-2015, 
averaging 4.75% annually (World Bank, 2020; Diem & Thuy, 2019).  In 2017, livestock 
accounted for 27.5% of total agricultural GDP (Duc Phuc, 2017). This growth is both the 
product of and stimulant for increased public and private investment in the livestock 
sector nationally and locally.   
Issued in 2012, Decision No. 124/QD-TTg laid out growth plans for all key livestock 
varieties through 2020. Pig populations were expected to grow by 3-4% per year, to 34 
million heads by 2020. Growth through 2018 greatly exceeded that number, until an 
outbreak of African swine fever decimated populations, causing a 43% drop to 19.6 million 
heads in 2020 (General Statistics Office of Vietnam, 2020). The new Vision 2030 master 
planning policy articulates the production strategy over the coming decade focuses on 
developing pig breeds that meet increasing consumer expectations for safe, flavorful meat. 
Generally, the strategy encourages a shift toward large-scale commercial farming in 
regions where pig production is already common–the Red River Delta, the Northern 
Mountainous areas and the Southeast.  
The population of buffalo decreased by 1.98% to 2.4 million heads between 2012 and 2020, 
while that of cows grew by 2.75% to 6 million heads over the same period. Under the 
new master plan, buffalo populations are forecast to grow by 13.6% to 2.6 million heads, and 
cows by 23.5% to 6.6 million heads between 2020 and 2030 (General Statistics Office of 
Vietnam, 2020; Chinhphu, 2020). Buffalo. Buffalo production will continue to develop in the 
Northern Mountainous areas and along the North-Central Coast, and dairy cow populatio1n4s 
are projected 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
to expand in the Northwest, Central Coast, Red River Delta, Central Highlands, and Mekong 
Delta regions where they are already most common. Similar to pork, the master plan calls for 
the quality of beef–its flavor profile, texture, protein content, fat content, and antibiotic levels–
to be improved in order to satisfy domestic consumer demand.  
Poultry populations grew by 12.1% annually between 2012 and 2020, to 481.1 million heads. 
Under the new master plan, populations are projected to grow by 7.3% annually to 550 million 
heads by 2030 (General Statistics Office of Vietnam, 2020; Chinhphu, 2020). While small-
scale farming models are still dominant, as with other livestock varieties, the 2030 plan seeks 
to foster the development of large-scale, industrial production models within the poultry sector. 
Though chicken and ducks are currently reared all over Vietnam due to their limited space 
requirements, the 2030 plan aims to generate local comparative advantages by concentrating 
poultry production in the Red River and Mekong Delta regions. The plan also notes that a key 
challenge to poultry growth going forward will be controlling the spread of H5N1 avian 
influenza.  
Despite ambitious planning, there are still many challenges to growing Vietnam’s livestock 
sector. While the national master plan calls for all provinces to devise subsidiary master plans, 
implementation of this policy at local level has been poor, with just 27 of 63 provinces 
submitting proposals as of December 2020. Only two provinces, Lang Son and Thanh Hoa, 
have gone further and enacted resolutions in order to begin taking action. As Decision No. 
899/QD-TTg calls generally for “agricultural restructuring towards raising added values and 
sustainable development,” provinces have interpreted this broad call to action in a wide variety 
of ways. It is still unclear how the national policy will be interpreted by the Son La People’s 
Executive Committee.  The policy also lacks a monitoring and evaluating framework, and 
instead largely trusts provinces to act of their own volition. This has the potential to lead to 
uneven implementation or, worse, inaction.  
4. Livestock production, policies, and programs in Son La Province 
The people of Son La province depend heavily on agricultural production for livelihood 
generation, and pressure on agricultural lands is significant. Of the province’s 1.4 million ha 
land area, 64% is used for agricultural production. Soil erosion and land degradation are 
widespread environmental hazards. Son La has a unique topography as it is partitioned by a  
mountain range, with mountains and plateaus covering 75% of the province. This complicates 
the linking of farmers with local and regional markets to sell their goods (Karimov et al., 2016). 
However, in recent years the districts of Moc Chau and Van Ho have experienced significant 
economic development. This is largely due to temperate climatic conditions that allow for the 
cultivation of out-of-season and specialty crops. 
In Son La, livestock production levels have remained relatively static in recent years. In 2019, 
the number of buffalo decreased by 3.2% to 129,660 heads while the number of dairy cows in 
Moc Chau and Van Ho districts, 26,200, remained constant (Son La, 2020; Nhu Thuy, 2020). 
In 2019 the number of pigs increased by 0.7% to 510.425 heads (Son La, 2020). The most 
significant change impacted the pig population, which dropped by 7.9% to 536,280 heads due 
15 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
to an outbreak of African swine fever (Son La, 2019). In 2019, the number of poultry (chicken, 
goose, Muscovy duck, and musk duck) increased by 1.3% to 6.9 million heads (Son La, 2020). 
In contrast to pig production, small-scale poultry production is dominant and primarily takes 
place in the garden areas of individual homes. Home-based poultry production is especially 
prevalent in Son La’s high-sloping, remote districts. Currently, 60% of local poultry are lean-
improved quality breeds and 40% are local breeds, both reared primarily in backyards and 
residential gardens. Goat production is most common in Thuan Chau, Song Ma, Mai Son, 
Quynh Nhai, Muong La, and Bac Yen. Local breeds account for 70% of total heads, and 
improved breeds 30%. 
4.1. Policies related to land-use 
In Son La, policies related to land-use planning and management have grown stricter in recent 
years, with individual land types now allocated for specific land-uses. However, within these 
broad categories of land-use types–agricultural, forestry, industrial, etc.–there is greater 
flexibility for utilization. For example, agricultural lands may be used for crops, livestock, or 
aquaculture. This has contributed to the growth in livestock populations, as it is seen as a 
profitable agricultural sub-sector for those who can afford the significant start-up costs. While 
it is legally easier to convert agricultural lands from one type to another, there are still 
significant taxes related to agricultural land-use change. These transaction costs are often more 
significant than the value that can be generated from agricultural production on the land.  
This increased flexibility in land-use change has placed stress on land resources in Son La. The 
quantities of grassland in the province are limited, fragmented, and under stress from increasing 
demand for animal feed. Additionally, grasslands not reserved for feed production are often 
converted to croplands, which are seen as more productive. Despite this, the majority of maize 
production in Son La is for livestock feed rather than human consumption. 
4.2. Policies related to livestock feed 
Policies related to livestock feed in Son La are often framed around the subsidization and 
production of forage crops and grasslands. Though there are no feed-specific local policies on 
the books, Son La’s provincial government has aimed to increase the areas cultivated for forage 
crops by donating lands and subsidizing inputs. It has also encouraged the use of crop residues 
and agricultural byproducts to produce animal feed. The promotion of non-concentrated feeds is 
meant to reduce livestock producers’ input costs (as concentrated feeds are significantly more 
expensive than non-concentrated feeds) and improve agricultural sustainability through effective 
resource management. The diet of local livestock is varied, with cattle and small ruminants 
mainly depending of non-concentrated feed sources, and poultry and pig consuming higher 
quantities of concentrated feeds. 
4.3. Policies related to breed development 
Though data on livestock breeding initiatives in Son La is limited, a provincial program 
administered by MARD’s subdepartment of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary, and Agriculture’s 
16 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
provincial office, between 2017 and 2019, employed a campaign of artificial insemination to 
improve the quality of local cattle and pig breeds. The program used frozen semen to 
impregnate 5,184 beef and dairy cows and resulted in the birth of 4,400 hybrid calves. Both 
natural and artificial insemination was employed to cross-breed local pig varieties with exotic 
breeds such as Duroc and Pietran, which are prized for their high-quality semen. Consequently, 
the sperm from 336 exotic pigs was used to inseminate 704 indigenous animals. 
As part of the Son La Livestock Development Plan (SLDP), research and development activities 
led to 7,250 hybrid pregnancies by 2016 (Brahman). The SLDP also resulted in the successful 
transferring of purebred cow embryos, improved local climate adaptation, greater disease 
resistance in new breeds, and higher quality beef and milk products. The plan also promoted the 
addition of active probiotics to processed animal feed and the use of home-made silage to recycle 
agricultural residues and reduce input costs.  
Activities related to the SLDP have also led to the insemination of local pigs by exotic boars, 
producing hybrid breeds that are fast-growing and feature a leaner meat profile. Two large-scale 
farms–Minh Thuy Enterprise in Co Noi commune, Mai Son district, and Chieng Hac Pig 
Husbandry Company Ltd. in  Yen Chau district–have achieved commercial success by applying 
Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) to the rearing of these new hybrid varieties 
(Trang Thi Xuan, 2017).  
4.4. Policies related to credit provision 
While there are no credit programs that exclusively serve the residents of Son La or actors in 
livestock value chains, local communities have benefited from general improvements in the 
availability of loans, loan application processes, and the timeliness of disbursal. As a result, the 
ability of producers to purchase additional inputs has resulted in enhanced local production. 
While the main suppliers of formal credit in Son La are VBARD and VBSP, informal credit 
funds, women’s unions, the credit fund of farmer groups, and NGO lending re also common at 
the village and communal levels.    
However, farmers tend to borrow in seasonal production patterns and loans are often not 
available when producers need the funds most, or in the amounts they require. Additionally, 
loans are not linked to agricultural value chains. This means that they are not disbursed in line 
with the input and output factors most influential in business development. Further economic 
research related to business development within Vietnam’s livestock sector is required to help 
design loan packages that are maximally effective. 
Livestock production is capital intensive and susceptible to a range of environmental (flood, 
drought, disease, etc.) and non-environmental (price fluctuations, food safety issues, etc.) 
hazards. For these reasons, commercial insurance products are unavailable to actors in Son 
La’s livestock value chains, leaving them highly vulnerable to a variety of risks. 
In Son La, as elsewhere, rural poverty is often a closed feedback loop where small producers 
are unable to access productive finance because they lack collateral, and thus can’t develop 
their businesses to a point that commercial finance institutions will lend to them. While this 
17 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
issue can be solved through the development of innovative financing mechanisms, producers 
are instead forced to rely on a small number of traditional banking packages, payment services, 
and agricultural insurance programs that may or may not meet their needs.  
Human resources are also a limiting factor, as education in rural areas tends to be harder to 
access and of lower quality. The application procedures for accessing credit tend to complex 
and can be difficult to understand. In particular, the procedures related to mortgage assets and 
land-use right certificates (known colloquially as “red books”) are major obstacles for farmers. 
These documents must be provided to banks in order to receive a loan. However, the bank will 
not return the certificates until a loan has been repaid. This is an issue as many farmers take 
out loans simply to cover the cost of inputs rather than to scale their businesses, and face huge 
difficulties if they are then not able to use their red books in order to access additional credit. 
Finally, regional planning processes often call for livestock populations to increase without 
articulating plans to the expand the related market systems. Credit provision for business 
development, as well as technical support such as genetic research and development and 
livestock management systems, are often unfunded. In Son La, the Son La Livestock 
Development Plan does not provide funding for genetic research and development, as these are 
activities that often take place at the national or regional level. Poor planning for market 
systems development makes it harder for small producers to grow their businesses, and thus 
restricts their ability to access formal credit. Additionally, provincial planning processes occur 
independent of one another and would benefit from national coordination. 
4.5. Policies related to epidemiology 
Disease prevention in Son La is overseen by MARD’s provincial office, which in recent years 
has taken action to subsidize inputs and outputs, support animal breeding activities, and provide 
credit to breeders and farmers. In line with the SLLDP, local veterinary services have deployed 
1.2 million doses of pasteurellosis vaccine for poultry and cattle, 379,230 doses of FMD 
vaccine to buffalo and cows, and 151,800 doses of antiseptic chemicals to pre-empt the spread 
of diseases (Son La, 2019). 
However, financial compensation for the destruction and death of animals is often slow to 
arrive, leading to cashflow issues for producers. Farmers frequently lack the paperwork 
necessary to file claims, which can take months to process once submitted. While the 
government mobilizes additional staff to support containment efforts, these temporary workers 
are paid below market rates, which limits their effectiveness on the front line. Finally, 
containment efforts are often underfunded, which restricts testing, control, interment, and 
employee remuneration. 
4.6. Policies related to agricultural extension services 
Livestock-related agricultural extension programs in Son La focus largely on increasing the 
value of local meat and dairy production through the implementation of technical regulations, 
the dissemination of high-yield practices and technologies, and the upgrading of animal living 
conditions. One program, seeking to increase the use of incubators by small poultry producers 
18 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
in Quynh Tai district, established a reproductive field model consisting of an incubator, a 
generator, and 200 chickens. Another, targeting 10 household producers and 2,000 chickens in 
the Thuan Chau and Quynh Nhai districts, trained producers on improved rearing practices and 
advanced biosecurity measures.  A similar initiative in the same districts involved 2,500 ducks 
and focused on herd management and disease prevention.  Here, participants were provided 
with animals cost-free and had 50% of their other inputs subsidized. A program in Muong La, 
Song Ma, and Phu Yen districts  sought to develop a goat breed that is well-suited to local 
grazing as well as housing, and resulted in the birth of 43 hybrid animals.  Extension services 
have also provided free-of-charge vaccinations to prevent the spread of pasteurellosis, cholera, 
and FMD.  
4.7. Policies related to public investment  
While Son La’s livestock sector benefits from national-level public investment, mainly through 
the local implementation of MARD initiatives, Son La province also invests in provincial 
agricultural development initiatives. Many of these investments focus on the research and 
development of locally-produced livestock feeds and are not outlined in official policy 
documents, but rather implemented in line with the objectives of Decisions No. 296/QD-
UBND and No. 2070/QĐ-UBND (see Policies related to livestock master planning section). 
One project named "Technology application in cross-bred goats: Reproduction and 
development of commercial goat production models in Son La” aims to develop locally-
suitable goat breeds, as well as the VA06 grass variety for feed production. It also funds 
veterinary services and disease prevention measures for goats. Another, the "Pilot production 
of animal feed types for pigs in Quynh Nhai district, Son La province" is testing the impact of 
concentrated feed on pig growth to identify the optimal dietary components for different 
breeds. Other programs are investigating the use of maize, sugarcane and passionfruit 
byproducts to produce animal feed, and experimenting with feed grass varieties that exhibit 
high levels of local suitability–VA06, Guatemalan, Mulato II, and Mombasa. 
4.8. Policies related to livestock master planning 
In Son La, several livestock master planning policies are meant to guide sectoral development 
through 2030. The Livestock Production Development Plan (LPDP) passed by the Son La 
People’s Executive Committee (SLPEC) in 2018 seeks to guide the sector’s development 
through 2030. The LPDP targets the increased production of milk and meat and generally seeks 
to strengthen the value chain of numerous livestock production systems, namely cattle (beef 
and dairy), goat, pig, poultry and honey bee. 
According to the LPDP, populations of dairy cows will increase to 29,600 heads in Moc Chau 
and 5,400 heads in Van Ho by 2030. Across the two districts, reproductive cows will comprise 
a bit more than half of the total population and lactating cows a bit less than half. Dairy 
production in Moc Chau and Van Ho will be supported through the establishment of 12 local 
research and development centers. The goal of these centers will be to guide dairy production 
toward the use of advanced technology and modern practices like the use of hybrid and 
improved forages, gender-disaggregated semen, and VietGAP practices. Buffalo population 
19 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
will remain unchanged, with populations spread across Phu Yen, Yen Chau, Song Ma, Moc 
Chau, Mai son, Thuan Chau, Muong La and Sop Cop.  
The LPDP also calls for pig populations to increase by 25.3% to 672,000 heads by 2030, with 
the dominant production model shifting from small to large industrial farms, mainly in in the 
districts of Mai Son, Muong La , the city of Son La, Song Mã, Thuan Chau, and Yen Thanh. 
Currently, 55% of local pigs are lean-improved quality pig breeds (Yorkshire, Landrace, 
Duroc) and 45% are local (Mong Cai). 
The LPDP envisions a decrease in poultry populations by 6.8 million heads by 2030, but calls 
for both improved and local breeds (Golai, ISA, BE, Sassco, Tam Hoang, Luong Phuong, Ri, 
H'Mong) to be introduced in the Son La districts where they are best-suited to local climatic 
conditions: Mai Son, Moc Chau, the city of Son La, Song Mã, Thuan Chau, Yen Thanh, and 
(DARD, 2019). 
Decisions No. 296/QD-UBND, from 2017, and No. 2070/QĐ-UBND, from 2018, set targets 
to be achieved by 2030, but largely leave the implementation strategies to be determined later. 
Instead, they call generally to develop innovative production practices, shift production models 
from small farms to large ones, and for increased investment into improved breeds, rural 
infrastructure, and human resource development. The policies also aim to increase local 
slaughtering capacity, strengthen regulations regarding animal waste management, and grow 
the quality of extension programs. Son La will also invest in breed development to increase the 
quality of meat and dairy products, reduce production costs, and expand export opportunities. 
Moreover, the polices specify which animal feeds should be grown in Son La’s specific agro-
ecological zones. Son La province has the largest maize growing area in the country and a 
significant portion of local production is processed into concentrated feed for livestock. Local 
production of elephant grass, widely used as a forage crop, is also planned to grow. There is no 
specific plan for other common feed crops, such as banana, cassava, and sugarcane, that are 
grown in Son La.  
Resolution No.88/2014/NQ-HDND encourages local enterprises and cooperatives to invest in 
Son La’s agricultural development.  To stimulate the growth of large-scale buffalo and cattle 
farming, Son La province is supporting large buffalo and cattle producers, who own more than 
500 heads, in developing plans to scale their businesses. Participating enterprises have 100% 
of their administrative, project design, and environmental impact assessment costs subsidized. 
The government also plans to increase the availability of subsidized and free supports for 
buffalo and cattle farmers, such as agricultural extension services, veterinary services, and low-
interest loans. 
As livestock production in  Son La’s rural districts (Mai Son, Muong La, Phu Yen, Quynh 
Nhai, Song Ma, Van Ho, and Yen Chau) is currently dominated by local animal breeds and 
traditional rearing practices; this policy seeks to capitalize on this by ramping up the marketing 
of these specialized livestock products, which are often more highly prized by Vietnamese 
consumers than mass-produced ones.  
 
20 
 
 
Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
5. Conclusion 
Policies implemented since the onset of Vietnam’s Doi Moi shift in the mid-1980s, toward a 
market-based national economy, have led to a significant increase in agricultural output. The 
Government of Vietnam’s efforts to encourage the development of large-scale industrial 
production have instrumental in enabling the livestock subsector to match growing domestic 
demand for meat, milk, and eggs with sufficient supply. National policies have largely been 
implemented, if unevenly, at the provincial level, and ambitious sectoral planning through 2030 
demonstrates the potential for further intensification. 
However, increased livestock production has put a strain on smaller producers and natural 
resources in Son La. While Son La’s fertile land and geographical proximity to major markets 
provides a natural comparative advantage for its livestock sector, production-related issues will 
continue to worsen unless national and provincial governments implement policies to develop 
the capacity of value chain actors–particularly smaller ones. Recently enacted policies 
concerning the development of high-yielding breeds, animal feed production, and relief for 
producers impacted by disease outbreaks are intended to remedy some of these constraints. 
However, policies face a number of impediments to implementation at the local level, and are 
further hampered by finite land availability, the high costs of critical inputs like feed and 
vaccines, poor access to affordable labor, a lack of transportation infrastructure, and limited 
marketing opportunities. 
Improved coordination between MARD’s national office, its local research institutes, and 
agricultural universities is necessary to drive the research and development of high-yielding, 
resilient livestock breeds and improved technologies. This research must be matched with 
improved agricultural extension services to ensure widespread dissemination. Local processing 
capacity must also be improved to help producers convert yields into higher value consumer 
products. While improvements in disbursing credit agricultural credit have been made, more 
can be done to help small producers scale their family businesses into larger enterprises. 
Insurance products and relief for producers impacted by disease outbreaks will also play a 
critical role in de-risking the investment-intensive livestock sector, and unlocking additional 
investment.  
Ultimately, public institutions must play a more significant role in unlocking market-driven 
growth. The effective implantation, through public intervention and oversight, of policies to 
support value chain actors of all types and sizes is the best means of unlocking generating 
sustainable, equitable growth in Son La’s livestock sector. 
 
 
 
 
 
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Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
  
 
Acknowledgements 
The work was funded by the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock, which is supported by 
the CGIAR Fund Donors and bilateral funding agreements. We thank the interviewees for their 
time and cooperation and acknowledge the support of MARD’s Department of Livestock 
Production, the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), the Sub-Department of Agriculture 
and Rural Development, the Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Aquaculture 
Son La, and the Agricultural Service Center of Mai Son, Son La, Vietnam. Additionally, this 
research benefited from the support of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and 
the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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Livestock policy review – Son La, Vietnam 
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productivity (23th August 2019).  
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and Events of the GSO. Retrieved from http://consosukien.vn/tang-cuong-nang-luc-cho-
nganh-san-xuat-thuc-an-chan-nuoi.htm
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nd%20Fishing
General Statistical Office of Vietnam. (2019a). The average growth rate of the total livestock sector in 
the period 2007 and 2017. Retrieved from 
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General Statistical Office of Vietnam.(2019b). Main products of livestock. Retrieved from 
https://www.gso.gov.vn/default_en.aspx?tabid=778 (16th August 2019). 
General Statistical Office of Vietnam. (2019c). Status of land use. Retrieved from 
https://www.gso.gov.vn/default.aspx?tabid=386&idmid=3&ItemID=9836 (16th August 2019). 
General Statistics Office of Vietnam.(2019). Press release on the official results of the 2016. Rural, 
Agricultural and Fishery Census. Retrieved from 
 https://gso.gov.vn/Default.aspx?tabid=628&idmid=&ItemID=18591 (16th August 2019). 
Giap, N. V. (2015). Livestock products market in Vietnam - Changing structure to improve competition. 
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su/Sach/Thi%20truong%20chan%20nuoi%20Viet%20Nam.pdf (18th August 2019). 
Hanh, T. Q. (2010). Study on growth, reproduction, yield and milk quality of pure Holstein Friesian 
(HF) cows, F1, F2 and F3 crossbred generations between HF and Lai Sind raised in Lam Dong 
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Lien, K. (2019). Developing plant varieties and animal breeds for high productivity and quality. 
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nang-suat-chat-luong-cao/22094.vgp (13th August 2019). 
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%BA%20y%20(final).doc (13th August 2019). 
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nam-2019.aspx (13th August 2019). 
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tu dat NN.doc (24th August 2019). 
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lon-chuyen-hoa-nang-suat-cao-phu-hop-chan-nuoi-cong-nghiep-khu-vuc-phia-bac-881.html 
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Nga, N. T. N. (2019). Efficiency of public investment in Agriculture in Vietnam. Retrieved from 
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Phuong, H. (2012). Improving the effectiveness of agricultural extension. Retrieved from 
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CNC-Khuyen-nghi-chinh-sach-10689 (22nd August 2019). 
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PUBLIC.pdf (24th August 2019). 
25 
  
Appendix I. Livestock policies at the national level 
 
No. Policy type Code & date Title 
   Policies related to livestock master planning 
1.  Law No. 32/2018/QH14 Law of animal husbandry 
2.  Decision No. 10/2008/QD-TTg Approving the strategy for livestock breed 
(January 16th, 2008) development through 2020 
3.  Decision No. 124/QD-TTg Approving the agricultural master plan through 
(February 2nd, 2012) 2020 and a vision toward 2030 
4.  Decision No. 899/QD-TTg  Approving the project “Agricultural restructuring 
(June 10th, 2013) towards raising added values and sustainable 
development”  
5.  Decision No. 984/QD-BNN-CN Approving MARD’s “Agricultural restructuring 
(May 9th, 2014) towards raising added values and sustainable 
development” project 
6.  Decision No. 985/QD-BNN-CN Approving action plan for the implementation of 
(May 9th, 2014) MARD’s “Agricultural restructuring towards 
raising added values and sustainable 
development” project 
7.  Ordinance No. 16/2004/PL- Ordinance of the Standing Committee of the 
UBTVQH11 (March National Assembly regarding livestock breeds 
24th, 2004) 
8.  Decree No.119/ Issues regulations related to veterinary services, 
119/2013/NĐ-CP animal breeds, and animal feed  
(October 9th, 2013) 
9.  Decision No. 10/2006/QĐ-BNN Issues regulations and registration procedures for 
(February 10th, 2006) the production, import, and circulation of 
veterinary medicines, microorganisms, and 
chemicals  
10.  Decision No. 99/2007/QĐ-BNN Amends and supplements decision No. 
(November 3rd, 2017)  10/2006/QĐ-BNN dated February 10th, 2006 
11.  Decision No. 850/QD-BNN- Issues technical and economic regulations related 
KHCN (April 18th, to national extension projects in the livestock 
2012) sector 
12.  Decision No. 01/2012/QD-TTg Regulates the application of “”good agricultural 
(January 9th, 2012)  practices”  
26 
 
  
13.  Decision No.4930/QD-BNN- Approving the plan of restructuring the 
KTHT (November agricultural sector toward added value and 
14th, 2014) sustainable development during 2014-2020 
   Policies related to livestock feed 
14.  Decision No. 90/2006/QD-BNN Lists permitted animal feeds and feed materials 
(2nd October 2006) for import 
15.  Circular No. 02/2019/TT-BNN Lists permitted raw materials and processed feed 
PTNT (February 11th, products for trade  
2019) 
16.  Decree No. 39/2017/ND-CP Regulates livestock and aquaculture feed 
(April 4th, 2017) management procedures 
17.  Decree No. 08/2010/ND-CP Regulates livestock feed management   
(February 5th, 2010) 
18.  Decree No. 08/2011/NĐ-CP Articulates penalties for administrative violations 
(January 25th, 2011) related to livestock feed 
19.  Decision No. 34/2001/QD- Regulates business conditions in the agriculture 
BNN-VP, (March 30th, and livestock sectors 
2001) 
20.  Decree No.119/2013/ND-CP Articulates penalties related to administrative 
(October 9th, 2013) violations related to veterinary services, livestock 
breed development, and livestock feed production 
21.  Circular No.42/2015/TT-BNN Restricts specific chemicals and antibiotics 
PTNT (November 16th, banned from import, manufacture, trade and use 
2015) in feeds for livestock and poultry in Vietnam 
22.  Circular No. 29/2015 / TT- Amends and supplements several articles of 
BNNPTNT dated Circular No. 66/2011 /TT-BNNPTNT dated 
September 4th, 2015 October 10th, 2011 and Decree No. 08/2010 / ND-
CP dated February 5th, 2010 related to the 
management of animal feed 
23.  Circular No. 61/2011/TT- Issues National Technical Standards for Animal 
BNNPTNT Feed as developed by MARD 
(September 12th, 2011) 
24.  Circular No. 66/2011/TT- Amends and supplements several articles of 
BNNPTNT (October Decree No. 08/2010/ND-CP dated February 5th, 
10th, 2011) 2010 related to animal feed management   
 
27 
 
  
25.  Circular No. 77/2009/TT-BTC Regulates preferential import tax rates for several 
(April 14th, 2009) raw materials used in the production of livestock 
feed 
26.  Decree No. 100/2017/NĐ-CP Amends and supplements several articles of 
 (August 18
th, 2017) Decree No. 39/2017/ND-CP dated April 4th, 2017 
related to livestock and aquaculture feed 
management 
27.  Circular No. 36/2016/TT- Amends and supplements Article 4 of Circular 
BNNPTNT  No. 06/2016/TT-BNNPTNT dated May 31st, 2016 
(December 26th, 2016) listing permitted ingredients to be used as 
antibiotics in feed for cattle and poultry  
28.  Circular No. 01/2017/TT- Lists chemicals and antibiotics banned to be 
BNPTNT (January 1st, banned from import, production, trade, and 
2017) domestic use  
29.  Decree No.  66/2016/NĐ- Regulates investments in crop, seed, and livestock  
CP (July 1st, 2016) protection and quarantine 
30.  Circular No. 20/2017/TT- Introduces guidelines for the implementation of 
BNNPTNT Decree 39/2017/ND-CP dated April 4th, 2017 by 
(November 10th, 2017 on livestock and aquaculture feed management 
31.  Circular No. 27/2016/TT- Issues National Technical Standards for animal 
BNNPTNT  feed 
(July 26th, 2016) 
32.  Circular No. 06/2016/TT- Lists permitted ingredients to be used as 
BNNPTNT dated May antibiotics in feed for cattle and poultry 
31st, 2016 
33.  Consolidated No. 04 / VBHN- Regulates procedures for issuing and revoking 
document BNNPTNT dated certificates of genetically modified plants eligible 
January 8th, 2016 for use as animal feed 
   Policies related to breed development 
34.  Decision No.675/QD-BNN-CN Regulates technical and economic aspects of 
(April 4th, 2014) livestock breeding 
35.  Decision No.1506/QD-BNN- Issues “good livestock practices” related to pig 
KHCN (May 15th, production 
2008) 
36.  Decision  No.2194/QD-TTg Approves a program for developing new 
agricultural plants, tree varieties, livestock breeds, 
and aquatic species through 2020 
28 
 
  
37.  Decree No.  41/2017/NĐ- Amends and supplements several Decrees related 
CP (April 5th, 2017) to penalties for administrative violations in the  
aquaculture, veterinary, animal breeding, animal 
feed production, forest management, and forest 
product development fields 
38.  Circular No. 14/2014/TT-BNN Issues a list of high-yield livestock breeds to be 
PTNT (April 28th, developed in line with Decree No. 210/2013/ND-
2014) CP 
39.  Circular No. 01/2018/TT- Issues a list of livestock breeds for production and 
BNNPTNT (January trade in Vietnam 
16th, 2018) 
40.  Circular No. 16/2017/TT- Issues National Technical Standards on hygiene 
BNNPTNT (August requirements for pig sperm production facilities  
24th, 2017) 
41.  Decision No. 4653 / QD-BNN- Issues “good husbandry practices “(VietGAP) for: 
CN dated November dairy cows, beef cattle, goat, pig, chicken, duck, 
15th, 2015 and honey bee  
42.  Decision 20/QD-BNNPTNT Regulates the breeding of bulls 
Dated July 20th, 2015 
43.  Decision 17/QD-BNNPTNT Regulates the breeding of buffalo 
Dated July 20th, 2015 
44.  Decision 18/QD-BNNPTNT Regulates the breeding of goats 
Dated July 20th, 2015 
45.  Decision No. 4411 / QD-BNN- Establishes an Executive Board to implement the 
CN dated October 15th, "Breeding cows to help the poor near the border" 
2014 program 
46.  Decision No. 680 /QD-BNN- Approves the "Strengthening the state 
CN management capacity on livestock breeds until 
dated April 7th, 2014 2020" project 
47.  Circular No. 14/2014 /TT-BNN  Issues a list of high-yield livestock breeds to be 
(April 28th, 2014) developed 
48.  Circular No. 25/2015 /TT- Issues a list of livestock breeds to be produced and 
BNNPTNT  (July 1st, traded domestically   
2015) 
49.  Circular No. 31/2013/TT- Issues technical regulations for the testing of pig 
BNNPTNT (June 12th, breeds 
2013) 
29 
 
  
   Policies related to public investment 
50.  Decree No.210/2013/ND-CP Introduces tax incentives for enterprises investing 
(December 19th, 2013) in the agriculture and rural production sectors 
51.  Decision No.50/2014/QD-TTg Introduces policies to improvements small-scale 
(September 4th, 2014) livestock production between 2015-2020  
52.  Decree No. 57/2018/NĐ-CP Issues policy and implementation mechanisms to 
dated April 17th 2018 incentivize investment in the agriculture and rural 
production sectors 
53.  Decision No.62/2013/QD-TTg Issues policies linking livestock production 
(October 25th, 2013) targets to consumer demand and introduces 
guidelines related to the development of large 
plots of agricultural land 
54.  Decision No. 394/2006/QĐ-TTg Regulates  investment in slaughter and processing 
(March 13th, 2006) facilities 
   Policies related to credit provision  
55.  Decree No.55/2015/ND-CP Introduces a policy to support agriculture and 
(June 9th, 2016) rural development 
   Policies related to epidemiology 
56.  Law No. 79/2015/QH13 Relates to the Law on Animal Health 
(June 19th, 2015) 
57.  Decision No. 476/QĐ-BNN-TY Approves "The national program for the 
(February 17th, 2016) prevention of foot and mouth disease between  
2016-2020" 
58.  Decision No.1791/2011/QĐ- Issues policies and implementation mechanisms 
TTg (October 15th, to develop vaccines for blue-ear and pig cholera 
2011) disease, and to promote livestock production, 
ensure adequate food supplies, and stabilize 
market prices 
59.  Decision No.719/QĐ – TTg Introduces policies to prevent disease spread 
(June 05th, 2008) among cattle and poultry 
60.  Decision No.142/2009/QĐ-TTg Issues policies and implementation mechanisms 
(December 31st, 2009) to restore agriculture, livestock, and aquaculture 
production in areas impacted by natural disasters 
and disease outbreaks 
61.  Circular No. 07/2016/TT- Issues regulations to prevent disease spread 
BNNPTNT dated May among terrestrial livestock breeds  
31st, 2016 
30 
 
  
62.  Circular No.187/2010/TT-BTC Issues policies and implementation mechanisms 
(November 22nd, 2010) to restore agriculture, livestock, and aquaculture 
production in areas impacted by natural disasters 
and disease outbreaks 
63.  Ordinance No.18/2004/PL- Regulates veterinary services 
UBTVQH11 (April 
29th, 2004) 
64.  National QCVN 01-41: 2011 Regulates hygienic standards in the production of 
Technical BNTT PTNT livestock and livestock products 
Regulation 
   Policies of livestock production management 
65.  Decision No.167/2001/QD-TTg Issues policies and implementation mechanisms 
(January 26th, 2001) to support dairy production between 2001-2010 
66.  Decision No.3399/QD-BCT Issues policies and implementation mechanisms 
(June 28th, 2010) to support dairy production through 2020, and 
establishes a vision through 2030  
67.  Decision No.166/2001/QD-TTg Issues policies and implementation mechanisms  
to support export-oriented pig production between 
2001-2010 
68.  Decree No. 69/2010 / ND-CP Regulates biosafety measures for genetically 
modified organisms to be used in breeding 
activities 
69.  Decision No.07/2005/QĐ-BNN Regulates the wild boar population 
(January 31st, 2005) 
   Policies related to agricultural extension 
services 
70.  Decision No.1947/QĐ-BNN- Issues “good livestock practices” for smallholder 
CN (August 23rd, pig production  
2011) 
71.  Circular No.04/2010/TT- Issues national technical regulations for the 
BNNPTNT (January biosafety of pig and poultry production  
15th, 2010) 
72.  Circular No.60/2010/TT- Regulates hygienic standards in pig slaughter 
BNNPTNT (October facilities 
25th, 2010) 
73.  Circular No. 25/2016/TT- Regulates the quarantine of animals and terrestrial 
BNNPTNT animal products 
(June 30th, 2016) 
31 
 
  
74.  Circular No.14/TT-BNNPTNT Regulates disease-free areas and facilities 
(June 2nd, 2016) 
75.  Circular No. 51/2014 / TT- Regulates conditions for food safety on small \ 
BNNPTNT dated production farms 
December 27th, 2014 
76.  Circular No. 14/2014 / TT- Issues a list of high-yield livestock breeds 
BNN  
dated April 28th, 2014 
77.  Decision No. 397 / QD-CN- Issues guidelines for environmental protection 
MTCN dated April 4th, within concentrated livestock production areas 
2017 
78.  Official No. 1125 / BNN-CN  Regulates the long-term development of pig 
dispatch dated December 29th, production 
2016 
   Miscellaneous livestock-related policies 
79.  Vietnamese TCVN 9121 : General requirements for ruminant farms 
Standard 2012/BNN PTNT 
80.  National QCVN 62-MT: 2016 General requirements for wastewater from 
Technical BNN PTNT livestock production  
Regulation 
81.  National QCVN 01-15: 2010 Regulates conditions for biosecurity on poultry 
Technical BNN PTNT dated farms 
Regulation January 15th, 2010 
82.  National QCVN 01-14: 2010 Regulates conditions for biosecurity on pig farms 
Technical BNN PTNT dated 
Regulation January 15th, 2010 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
32 
 
Appendix II. Livestock policies in Son La 
1 Decision No. 296/QD-UBND Approves the project “Planning for livestock 
dated February 16th production development in Son La province up to 
2017 2020 and orientation until 2030” 
2 Decision No. 2070/QĐ-UBND Approves the “Restructuring livestock production 
dated August 25th activities in Son La province between 2018-2020 
2018 and orientation through 2030” plan 
3 Resolution No. 117/2015/NQ- Issues a five-year socio-economic development 
HĐND dated plan for 2016-2020 
December 10th 2015 
4 Resolution No.76/2018/NQ- Issues policies and implementation mechanisms  to 
HDND dated April 4th support the processing of agricultural products and 
2018 general food safety between 2018-2021 
5 Resolution No. 89/2014/NQ- Issues policies and implementation mechanisms  to 
HĐND dated support epidemic disease prevention amongst cattle 
September 17th 2014 and poultry populations in Son La 
6 Report No. 699/BC-UBND Issues policies and implementation mechanisms  to 
dated August 2nd 2019 support livestock production in Mai Son district 
7 Report Dated November 22nd Summarizes livestock production activities in 2018 
2018 and the strategic orientation of activities in 2019 
8 Report No.58/BC-TTDVNN Summarizes extension services and animal health 
dated September 12th during activities during January-September 2019 
2019 
9 Report No.370/BC-CQLTT Publishes administrative violations issued in the 
dated August 2nd 2019 field of animal husbandry and veterinary medicine 
10 Report No. 63/BC-TTKN Publishes the results of programs related to 
dated August 2nd 2019 livestock production during 2017-2019 
11 Report No.243/BC-KHCN Publishes research results and related technological 
dated August 2nd 2019 applications related to livestock production in the 
during 2017-2019 
33