Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture in Mekong Delta

The seminar “Solutions for sustainable agriculture in Mekong Delta” recently took place in Ho Chi Minh City with the attendance of representatives from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Southwestern Region Steering Committee, the People’s Committee of Kien Giang province and Agriculture and Rural Development Departments of Mekong Delta provinces.

The seminar also attracted a number of scientists, managers and businesses who are interested in sustainable development of Mekong Delta’s agriculture. The seminar began a series of events in the framework of the 2010 Forum of the Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation in Kien Giang province (MDEC Kien Giang 2010).

At the seminar, overall assessments were made on the advantages and disadvantages of the sea and rivers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, based on which the participants proposed solutions to build a sustainable and specific agriculture for the region to cope with climate change.

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta is one of the biggest and most fertile deltas in South East Asia. The region produces 50 percent of Vietnam’s paddy production output, 90 percent of rice export volume and 70 percent of fruit production output. Every year, 52 percent of the country’s seafood catch is obtained from the delta and nearly 67 percent of aquatic animals in Vietnam concentrate in the delta. The delta creates 60 percent of Vietnam’s seafood export revenue. However, the delta still shows many limitations such as low competitiveness index, small-scaled agricultural production, low quality and poor post-harvest technology. In addition, poor infrastructure system and low intellectual standards are obstacles for economic development.

The objectives of sustainable agricultural development in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta’s are to make use of available advantages, overcome difficulties, invest in specialized agricultural production to create products of high competitiveness. The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta is striving to develop a modern agricultural sector with advanced technology, high productivity, qualified human resources and high adaptability to climate change and sea level rises in the context of regional and international integration.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with limited agricultural mechanization and technological application, the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta only focuses on exploiting available agricultural resources, therefore the competitiveness is still low in comparison with other countries in the region. Unplanned development has resulted in unstable price and productivity as well as increased epidemics. Non-commercial restrictions imposed on agricultural and aquatic products are producing negative influences on farmers and businesses. Notably, although the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta is considered to be a well-off region with abundant aquatic resources, those resources are facing the risk of becoming exhausted because of salt penetration, flood, drought and global climate change.

At the seminar, participants pointed out challenges that the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta has to face. Specifically, aquatic resources are becoming exhausted; industrial and household waste remains untreated; fields are intruded with salt and alum; flood, drought, and especially the impact of climate change is increasingly complicated. Dang Kim Son, PhD, the general director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized that it is necessary to pay attention to effective and sustainable use of natural resources. In the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, the most important natural resources are water and land. Therefore while planning land for agricultural production, the region needs to utilize the comparative advantages of all member localities. Besides, to utilize water resources effectively in circumstances of climate change, it is necessary to work out irrigation strategies based on natural conditions.

Nguyen Khac Hieu, the deputy director of the Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the average temperature in the region will increase by 1.4-2.6 degrees centigrade, the rainfall will increase in the rainy season and decrease in the dry season. In 2010, sea level rises will make 12.8-37.8 percent of land sink. This will have direct impacts on 10 percent of the population and causes losses worth 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Climate change requires localities to boost economic restructuring and adjust economic development plans.

To promote sustainable agricultural development in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta in such a context, experts supposed that it is necessary to develop infrastructure in association with science and technology, pay proper attention to human resource development, tighten the linkage between the State, farmers, scientists and businesses, diversify occupations, and make appropriate plans for agricultural development.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Diep Kinh Tan, emphasized that the ministry will work with the Southwestern Region Steering Committee, the People’s Committee of Kien Giang and other provinces to summarize all proposed solutions to the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta’s sustainable development and report to the Prime Minister. The region’s socioeconomic development plan which serves as the basis to make agricultural and rural policies will be presented to the Prime Minister. The ministry will work with the local authorities to promote the implementation of agriculture and rural development plans and infrastructure construction, propose the region’s specific policies on finance, credit, investment, trade and international integration. The ministry will also issue urgent plans for 2011 on the areas of varieties, bio-technology and rural agricultural infrastructure./.

By MDEC Secretariat

Tags: Mekong Delta, Vietnam agriculture