Luka Lam - Farm Design Specialist

“In collaboration with the Agra-Matic team in the Netherlands and with world leading experts working at De Heus, I come up with husbandry models that are best suited to different stages of livestock market development,” says Luka. In his job, Luka consults, designs and supports De Heus and their partners in implementing projects/plans at high-tech livestock farms. Specifically, this involves providing development orientation, a master plan and giving advice based on the project objectives. Luka: “In my field of work, I am always looking for ways to update my knowledge related to farm construction & operation and the technical parameters of livestock equipment. This enables me to continually improve myself.”

Depending on the project, Luka designs the master plan, defines the details of the buildings, chooses technologies and equipment and supervises the installation of equipment. “I meet De Heus' partners and advise them according to their needs & situation. For example, it might be building a new farm or renovating/upgrading an existing business. I coordinate the project with the departments to ensure that the project is completed as planned. The exchange of information between Agra-Matic Vietnam and De Heus experts worldwide makes my job fun every day. It allows me to discover and learn on every project I work on,” says Luka.

Luka, Mr Edison and the other team members were all originally professional construction engineers before taking their current responsibilities. With their foundation in construction, years of practice and interest in obtaining insightful knowledge in the livestock industry, they soon became construction engineers specialising in farm design. In fact, there are currently no colleges/universities in Vietnam that offer professional courses in designing livestock farms. All knowledge is acquired in practice on farms, construction sites, through training sessions and self-reflection.

“De Heus is a good working environment for any construction engineer wanting to specialise in farm construction because it is professional working environment where everyone is open to sharing information. This allows you to update technologies and knowledge in the industry, work with professional world leading experts and practise in many farms. So long as you retain a passion for this work, you will always have the opportunity for personal development within De Heus,” Luka concludes.