A young farmer in Mekong Delta is pursuing the dream that people have chance to eat clean food.
Salinity intrusion is leading to freshwater troubles in coastal Vietnam
Salinity intrusion not only impacts farming but also freshwater supply for households. In Rach Gia city in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, urban residents are being affected as saltwater has contaminated ponds and wells, and freshwater supplies are becoming scarce. The poorer residents are bearing the brunt of the freshwater shortages.
The iconic lotus fields of Thap Muoi in the Mekong Delta are shrinking
The lotus fields of Dong Thap province in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta are a famous tourist destination. The lotus fields bloom during the flood season from July to October. But in recent years, the lotus farmers are facing difficulties from a combination of climate change, declining water levels, salinity and falling prices for the lotus seeds.
Growing mountains of solid waste in Vietnam pose huge environmental challenge
With Vietnam producing about 15 million tons of waste each year, both the increasing quantity and the changing composition of waste is posing a huge environmental challenge for municipal authorities and local communities in Vietnam. Truong Minh Chien writes about the need for more efficient waste management policies combined with raising public awareness to tackle the serious waste problem.
As salinity intrudes into the Mekong Delta, farmers lose yields and income
Increasing seawater intrusion into the intricate system of rivers and streams in the Mekong Delta is affecting freshwater supplies and threatening its hugely productive rice and sugarcane fields and fruit and vegetable gardens.
Blackening the Mekong Delta
Up to 14 coal fired-power plants are set to be built in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta as part of Vietnam’s Power Development Plan (PDP). Nguyen Thi Ha looks at how the coal plants already operating in the delta area are affecting the health, salt and fish farms, and local livelihoods of thousands of communities living in the delta.
Living is sharing: A student volunteer’s story from Vietnam
Learn about the experiences of student volunteers in Vietnam from the story of Le Trong Thang, a student from Can Tho University who is actively working with local people in the Mekong Delta.
Young people act now: Help protect Mekong Delta’s natural wealth
Thuan Nguyen is a 15-year student from Can Tho, Vietnam who is passionate about the Mekong Delta and environmental issues. He voices concerns about the planned Mekong mainstream dams and wants young people to work together to raise awareness about the value of the Mekong Delta.
Conserving the benefits of floating rice in Vietnam
Floating rice production in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is a unique traditional agriculture system with livelihood, health and environmental benefits. Once extensive, but displaced by high-yielding variety rice, this article discusses initiatives to recover floating rice production and its associated local knowledge.
Using local knowledge to recover fisheries in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Vam Nao village in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam used to be known for its abundant fisheries. The construction of a large irrigation system ten years ago allowed villagers to plant 3 crops of rice per year. However, the results of villager-lead local knowledge research revealed that the scheme has seriously impacted the fisheries.