Improving duck welfare in Vietnam
Ducks are the second most farmed land animals in the world, ranking second only to chickens.
87 million ducks farmed in Vietnam in 2023
That makes Vietnam is the second-largest producer of ducks in the world, after China. The industry continues to grow and shift towards more intensive production methods, giving rise to some serious welfare concerns.
A unique opportunity
Vietnam's rapidly expanding economy is driving an increase in meat consumption, leading to greater demand for duck products.
The industry's current growth phase presents a unique and time-sensitive opportunity to positively influence its trajectory, making it crucial to implement welfare standards now before intensive practices become the norm.
No other organisations are working in this space in Vietnam and we believe it deserves more attention.
The big issue: Lack of safe bathing water
The increasingly popular cold barn systems often deny ducks access to water for bathing, citing management convenience and disease control as justification. Meanwhile, less modern systems with bathing water may not implement sufficient water quality and disease control measures.
The denial of access to bathing prevents ducks from expressing their most natural behaviors - it prevents ducks from being able to be ducks in the most basic sense.
More Issues
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![Farmed ducks stand on a grated farm floor]()
Hard and abrasive flooring
(Photo by Tin Phat)
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![Slaughtered ducks for sale]()
Lack of stunning before slaughter
(Photo by Phuong, 2024)
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![A man transports ducks on a motorcycle to a market in Nam Ha province, outside Hanoi.]()
Poor & overcrowded transportation
(Photo by NBC News, 2012)
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![Egg-laying ducks are kept two to three per cage without access to bathing water at this industrial farm in Taiwan, 2019.]()
Possible adoption of battery cages
(Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur, We Animals)
Our Approach
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Vietnam produced around 87 million ducks in 2023, yet we lack detailed information about common practices and welfare standards across the country's duck farms.
Our organisation will conduct scoping studies in key Vietnamese regions to understand the duck farming landscape, including major stakeholders, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. These findings will help us enhance duck welfare while providing other animal welfare organisations with valuable insights into Vietnam's duck industry.
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We plan to train producers and guide them in implementing safe water systems for their ducks. Our approach focuses on collaboration, finding solutions that benefit both the ducks' welfare and the farmers' interests.
We also plan to collaborate with key stakeholders to support producers in transitioning to higher welfare production systems.