Transforming Livestock Waste into Resources: Taiwan’s Path to Circular Agriculture

Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment (MOENV) is driving the sustainable transition of livestock farming by converting animal waste into biomass for agriculture and energy use. Through amended regulations, cross-agency collaboration, and targeted subsidies, the government has set clear reutilization targets—requiring 5% of manure to be reused by 2025 for small farms and 10% by 2029. While large farms have already met their goals, around 1,400 small farms still need to comply. To ease the transition, MOENV supports centralized wastewater treatment, promotes fiber digestate use in crop and forest irrigation, and has demonstrated successful outcomes in both environmental safety and crop performance.

In parallel, MOENV is establishing a “Sustainable Environmental Governance Technology Certification” system to validate and support wastewater treatment technologies that enable biogas generation and resource reuse. This certification helps channel funding and technical assistance to qualified farms, and companies, encouraging transparent, replicable, and scalable solutions. With continued efforts in legal guidance, financial incentives, and technological innovation, Taiwan aims to transform livestock farms from pollution sources into key contributors to a circular economy and net-zero emissions future.

Reference: https://service.moenv.gov.tw/File/Get/moenv-en/en/MVEmaypM4t5EI5b