'Helpless' over free-roaming cattle and buffalo in Nhon Hoi Economic Zone?

Hundreds of cattle and buffalo roam freely within the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in Vietnam, creating an eyesore and a persistent traffic hazard that authorities have struggled to address for years.

Local officials report that over 400 head of cattle and buffalo are currently at large. Residents, facing limited space for livestock, utilize vacant lots and roadside vegetation for grazing. Many animals are not regularly supervised, wandering along roads to find food before returning to makeshift shelters. This situation negatively impacts the area's tourism appeal, contributes to environmental pollution, and significantly increases the risk of traffic accidents on a key route used for transporting goods and accessing popular tourist destinations like Ky Co and Eo Gio.

Authorities have attempted to encourage residents to build enclosures and confine their livestock, but the animals, accustomed to free-roaming, are difficult to keep contained. Shifting residents to new livelihoods also presents challenges, as many owners are elderly and either lack the desire or the capacity to work in industrial zones or production facilities. For numerous families, cattle and buffalo farming remains their main source of income.

One resident, 65-year-old Nguyen Thi Tra, whose family has raised free-roaming cattle for over 25 years, currently manages about 40 head. She explained that limited land prevents proper enclosure construction, forcing them to graze along roads and open land. Her family has faced risks, including the theft of 12 cattle in the past. While Tra agrees with the plan to manage the free-roaming animals, she hopes for government support to transition to a small business, as cattle farming is their primary income.

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Cattle farming is the main source of income for the family. If we sell the herd, we hope for appropriate support policies to have capital to switch to small business, stabilize our lives.