The project "Improving Water Availability and Safety Through Optimized Irrigation and Fertilizer Application by Hydroponic Growers in Vietnam" is part of the Partners for Water program, aimed at supporting sustainable horticultural practices in Vietnam. In collaboration with key industry partners, including Ridder Group, Royal Brinkman, HollandDoor, and Fresh Studio, this project seeks to reduce water and fertilizer waste in hydroponic farming systems, which enhances crop production while conserving natural resources, benefiting both growers and the environment.
© Partners for WaterGroup picture with participants of the field day to showcase results of recycling drain water.
Pilot system implementation and results
In September 2024, pilot systems were established to recycle drain water from 2 sweet pepper farms in Vietnam. After several months of operation, early results are impressive, showing significant savings in both water and fertilizer use: At Thuy Farm, water usage was reduced by 33%, and fertilizer consumption decreased by 36%. While at Garden Mountain, water savings were also 33%, while fertilizer use dropped by 35%.
© Partners for Water
Both drain water recycling systems have been running smoothly since commissioned, except for a few hits during the first few weeks. These hits could quickly be resolved by adjusting some settings. That both VitaLite systems can be accessed from the Netherlands by the technical support team from Ridder Group is very convenient to determine the cause of a problem and to find the solution quickly.
Crop performance and long term benefits
Both sweet pepper crops at the pilot sites are growing well, and the feedback from the growers, Vien Son and Garden Mountain, has been overwhelmingly positive. It is expected that in the long term, using a system to recycle drain water will enable farmers to enhance their crop performance as they can further optimize the irrigation and fertigation strategy.
The water and fertilizer recycling systems not only help conserve resources but also allow for more precise control over irrigation and fertigation strategies. By optimizing the application of water and nutrients, the growers can maximize crop yields while reducing operational costs.
To ensure the fertilization process remains aligned with the plants' nutritional requirements, every 2 weeks, water and drain water samples are sent to the Netherlands for analysis. Within 4 - 5 days after taking the sample, the water analysis results are available, which is quite fast considering the samples need to send to the Netherlands from Vietnam.
Outreach activities and knowledge-sharing
To share the results of the last couple of months and to introduce the technology to recycle drain water to growers in Vietnam we started to organize field days at both pilot locations. The response from the visiting growers shows they are very interested in the technology to recycle drain water and want to explore how to apply this technology at their own farm.
Looking ahead
The project will continue to gather data from the two pilot locations throughout 2025. Additionally, the team will continue to organize field days and training activities to engage with more growers and share insights gained from the pilot systems.
The project team also participated in the HortEx in Ho Chi Minh City from 12 to 14 March, to showcase the results of the pilot systems and meet with interested parties. The team is optimistic about expanding the adoption of this technology in Vietnam and is committed to helping growers achieve more sustainable and profitable agricultural practices.
Source: Agroberichten Buitenland