Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Thanh Duy Vo

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Thanh Duy Vo

Published in International Journal of Sustainable Development Research (Volume 7, Issue 2)

Received: 23 March 2021 Accepted: 23 April 2021 Published: 8 May 2021

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Abstract

Since Vietnam government adopted a comprehensive reform known as Doi Moi policy in 1986, agricultural sector, especially intensive rice production, has played a critical role in a substantial growth and contributed significantly to poverty reduction in the Mekong Delta. In promoting rice intensification and agricultural diversification, a series of high dyke systems and embankments have recently been installed in many inundation areas of the Mekong Delta to provide flood protection so that farmers could grow rice even during flooding seasons. Local government assumed that farmers in new flood-protected areas are able to diversify and intensify agriculture, particularly rice production, thereby improve local livelihoods. Innovations in artificial hydraulic management and changes in agricultural production, however, have not only generated a great impact on environment and ecology of the Mekong Delta, but also triggered a process of social differentiation, causing the appearance of marginalized groups who must struggle for access resources to maintain their survival. Studies on the aspects of social differentiation and local efforts to cope with such adverse impacts have been rare. This paper aims to investigate recent trends of human intervention to regulate floodwater flows for agricultural intensification in the Mekong Delta and to explore the diversity and dynamics of farmers in adapting with these changes by examining their livelihood strategies. The mixed method comprising participatory rural appraisal (PRA), field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants and household surveys was employed to collect necessary data. The analysis suggests that the local people’s livelihoods constitute dynamic, complex and diverse paths to respond to changing social, economic and environmental conditions after the appearance of the high dyke systems. Households and individual farmers differ in the degree of emphasis and choice of livelihood strategies, according to their own capacity in the broader socio-political and economic context and the structure of their internal size, composition and capital. However, the small-scale farmers and poor landless group have been seen at the losing end in the trade-off and thereby excluded from the development process.

Published in	International Journal of Sustainable Development Research (Volume 7, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
Page(s)	28-40
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Dykes, Agricultural Intensification, Social Stratification, Livelihood Changes, Vietnamese Mekong Delta

References

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APA Style

Thanh Duy Vo. (2021). Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 7(2), 28-40. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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ACS Style

Thanh Duy Vo. Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Res. 2021, 7(2), 28-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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AMA Style

Thanh Duy Vo. Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Int J Sustain Dev Res. 2021;7(2):28-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11,
  author = {Thanh Duy Vo},
  title = {Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development Research},
  volume = {7},
  number = {2},
  pages = {28-40},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsdr.20210702.11},
  abstract = {Since Vietnam government adopted a comprehensive reform known as Doi Moi policy in 1986, agricultural sector, especially intensive rice production, has played a critical role in a substantial growth and contributed significantly to poverty reduction in the Mekong Delta. In promoting rice intensification and agricultural diversification, a series of high dyke systems and embankments have recently been installed in many inundation areas of the Mekong Delta to provide flood protection so that farmers could grow rice even during flooding seasons. Local government assumed that farmers in new flood-protected areas are able to diversify and intensify agriculture, particularly rice production, thereby improve local livelihoods. Innovations in artificial hydraulic management and changes in agricultural production, however, have not only generated a great impact on environment and ecology of the Mekong Delta, but also triggered a process of social differentiation, causing the appearance of marginalized groups who must struggle for access resources to maintain their survival. Studies on the aspects of social differentiation and local efforts to cope with such adverse impacts have been rare. This paper aims to investigate recent trends of human intervention to regulate floodwater flows for agricultural intensification in the Mekong Delta and to explore the diversity and dynamics of farmers in adapting with these changes by examining their livelihood strategies. The mixed method comprising participatory rural appraisal (PRA), field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants and household surveys was employed to collect necessary data. The analysis suggests that the local people’s livelihoods constitute dynamic, complex and diverse paths to respond to changing social, economic and environmental conditions after the appearance of the high dyke systems. Households and individual farmers differ in the degree of emphasis and choice of livelihood strategies, according to their own capacity in the broader socio-political and economic context and the structure of their internal size, composition and capital. However, the small-scale farmers and poor landless group have been seen at the losing end in the trade-off and thereby excluded from the development process.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta
AU  - Thanh Duy Vo
Y1  - 2021/05/08
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
T2  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JF  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JO  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
SP  - 28
EP  - 40
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1832
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
AB  - Since Vietnam government adopted a comprehensive reform known as Doi Moi policy in 1986, agricultural sector, especially intensive rice production, has played a critical role in a substantial growth and contributed significantly to poverty reduction in the Mekong Delta. In promoting rice intensification and agricultural diversification, a series of high dyke systems and embankments have recently been installed in many inundation areas of the Mekong Delta to provide flood protection so that farmers could grow rice even during flooding seasons. Local government assumed that farmers in new flood-protected areas are able to diversify and intensify agriculture, particularly rice production, thereby improve local livelihoods. Innovations in artificial hydraulic management and changes in agricultural production, however, have not only generated a great impact on environment and ecology of the Mekong Delta, but also triggered a process of social differentiation, causing the appearance of marginalized groups who must struggle for access resources to maintain their survival. Studies on the aspects of social differentiation and local efforts to cope with such adverse impacts have been rare. This paper aims to investigate recent trends of human intervention to regulate floodwater flows for agricultural intensification in the Mekong Delta and to explore the diversity and dynamics of farmers in adapting with these changes by examining their livelihood strategies. The mixed method comprising participatory rural appraisal (PRA), field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants and household surveys was employed to collect necessary data. The analysis suggests that the local people’s livelihoods constitute dynamic, complex and diverse paths to respond to changing social, economic and environmental conditions after the appearance of the high dyke systems. Households and individual farmers differ in the degree of emphasis and choice of livelihood strategies, according to their own capacity in the broader socio-political and economic context and the structure of their internal size, composition and capital. However, the small-scale farmers and poor landless group have been seen at the losing end in the trade-off and thereby excluded from the development process.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Thanh Duy Vo

The Research Center for Rural Development, An Giang University-Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, An Giang, Vietnam

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Thanh Duy Vo. (2021). Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 7(2), 28-40. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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ACS Style

Thanh Duy Vo. Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Res. 2021, 7(2), 28-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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AMA Style

Thanh Duy Vo. Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Int J Sustain Dev Res. 2021;7(2):28-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11,
  author = {Thanh Duy Vo},
  title = {Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development Research},
  volume = {7},
  number = {2},
  pages = {28-40},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsdr.20210702.11},
  abstract = {Since Vietnam government adopted a comprehensive reform known as Doi Moi policy in 1986, agricultural sector, especially intensive rice production, has played a critical role in a substantial growth and contributed significantly to poverty reduction in the Mekong Delta. In promoting rice intensification and agricultural diversification, a series of high dyke systems and embankments have recently been installed in many inundation areas of the Mekong Delta to provide flood protection so that farmers could grow rice even during flooding seasons. Local government assumed that farmers in new flood-protected areas are able to diversify and intensify agriculture, particularly rice production, thereby improve local livelihoods. Innovations in artificial hydraulic management and changes in agricultural production, however, have not only generated a great impact on environment and ecology of the Mekong Delta, but also triggered a process of social differentiation, causing the appearance of marginalized groups who must struggle for access resources to maintain their survival. Studies on the aspects of social differentiation and local efforts to cope with such adverse impacts have been rare. This paper aims to investigate recent trends of human intervention to regulate floodwater flows for agricultural intensification in the Mekong Delta and to explore the diversity and dynamics of farmers in adapting with these changes by examining their livelihood strategies. The mixed method comprising participatory rural appraisal (PRA), field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants and household surveys was employed to collect necessary data. The analysis suggests that the local people’s livelihoods constitute dynamic, complex and diverse paths to respond to changing social, economic and environmental conditions after the appearance of the high dyke systems. Households and individual farmers differ in the degree of emphasis and choice of livelihood strategies, according to their own capacity in the broader socio-political and economic context and the structure of their internal size, composition and capital. However, the small-scale farmers and poor landless group have been seen at the losing end in the trade-off and thereby excluded from the development process.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Social Impacts of High Dyke Construction and Farmers’ Responses: Case of Agricultural Intensification in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta
AU  - Thanh Duy Vo
Y1  - 2021/05/08
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
T2  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JF  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JO  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
SP  - 28
EP  - 40
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1832
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20210702.11
AB  - Since Vietnam government adopted a comprehensive reform known as Doi Moi policy in 1986, agricultural sector, especially intensive rice production, has played a critical role in a substantial growth and contributed significantly to poverty reduction in the Mekong Delta. In promoting rice intensification and agricultural diversification, a series of high dyke systems and embankments have recently been installed in many inundation areas of the Mekong Delta to provide flood protection so that farmers could grow rice even during flooding seasons. Local government assumed that farmers in new flood-protected areas are able to diversify and intensify agriculture, particularly rice production, thereby improve local livelihoods. Innovations in artificial hydraulic management and changes in agricultural production, however, have not only generated a great impact on environment and ecology of the Mekong Delta, but also triggered a process of social differentiation, causing the appearance of marginalized groups who must struggle for access resources to maintain their survival. Studies on the aspects of social differentiation and local efforts to cope with such adverse impacts have been rare. This paper aims to investigate recent trends of human intervention to regulate floodwater flows for agricultural intensification in the Mekong Delta and to explore the diversity and dynamics of farmers in adapting with these changes by examining their livelihood strategies. The mixed method comprising participatory rural appraisal (PRA), field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants and household surveys was employed to collect necessary data. The analysis suggests that the local people’s livelihoods constitute dynamic, complex and diverse paths to respond to changing social, economic and environmental conditions after the appearance of the high dyke systems. Households and individual farmers differ in the degree of emphasis and choice of livelihood strategies, according to their own capacity in the broader socio-political and economic context and the structure of their internal size, composition and capital. However, the small-scale farmers and poor landless group have been seen at the losing end in the trade-off and thereby excluded from the development process.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
ER  -

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