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Rice Intensive Cropping and Balanced Cropping in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam — Economic and Ecological Considerations

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  • Tong, Yen Dan

Abstract

Rice intensification in Vietnam relies on the construction of high dykes in the Mekong Delta floodplain to prevent flood waters from entering fields during the flood season. This enables three rice crops to be grown annually instead of two. On the floodplain, two rice crops can be described as “balanced cropping” since it has a long fallow period, which conforms to good agricultural practices, and also takes advantage of the flood's benefits. For example, it integrates the natural fish, other aquatic animals, and flood sediments during the flood season as part of the rice field ecosystem. This study surveys agriculture practices among “three crop” and “two crop” farmers on the floodplain. It is argued that planting three crops (“intensive cropping”) cannot provide a sustainable alternative to balanced cropping, either from an economic or an ecological viewpoint. Study findings emphasise the need to recognise the ecological value of balanced cropping systems for an efficient and environmentally sound production of food. In connection with this, it is suggested a case for limiting further dyke heightening since rice intensification, which is the aim of this large-scale water control, does not make economic sense.

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  • Tong, Yen Dan, 2017. "Rice Intensive Cropping and Balanced Cropping in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam — Economic and Ecological Considerations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 205-212.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:132:y:2017:i:c:p:205-212
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.10.013
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    2. Tran, Thong Anh & Nguyen, Tri Huu & Vo, Thang Tat, 2019. "Adaptation to flood and salinity environments in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: Empirical analysis of farmer-led innovations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 89-97.
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    6. Tran, Dung Duc & van Halsema, Gerardo & Hellegers, Petra J.G.J. & Ludwig, Fulco & Seijger, Chris, 2018. "Stakeholders’ assessment of dike-protected and flood-based alternatives from a sustainable livelihood perspective in An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 187-199.
    7. Silva, João Vasco & Pede, Valerien O. & Radanielson, Ando M. & Kodama, Wataru & Duarte, Ary & de Guia, Annalyn H. & Malabayabas, Arelene Julia B. & Pustika, Arlyna Budi & Argosubekti, Nuning & Vithoon, 2022. "Revisiting yield gaps and the scope for sustainable intensification for irrigated lowland rice in Southeast Asia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    8. Robin J. Lovell & Carol Shennan & Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, 2021. "Sustainable and conventional intensification: how gendered livelihoods influence farming practice adoption in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 7089-7116, May.
    9. Tran, Thong Anh, 2019. "Land use change driven out-migration: Evidence from three flood-prone communities in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    10. Van Kien Nguyen & David Dumaresq & Jamie Pittock, 2018. "Impacts of rice intensification on rural households in the Mekong Delta: emerging relationships between agricultural production, wild food supply and food consumption," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(6), pages 1615-1629, December.
    11. Tuan Nghia Nguyen & Nguyen Xuan Khoa & Le Anh Tuan, 2021. "The Correlation of Biodiesel Blends with the Common Rail Diesel Engine’s Performance and Emission Characteristics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Nguyet Anh Dang & Rubianca Benavidez & Stephanie Anne Tomscha & Ho Nguyen & Dung Duc Tran & Diep Thi Hong Nguyen & Ho Huu Loc & Bethanna Marie Jackson, 2021. "Ecosystem Service Modelling to Support Nature-Based Flood Water Management in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-28, December.
    13. KOJIN, Emi & DO, Van Hoang & NGUYEN, Thiet & ARIMOTO, Yutaka & VO, Hong Tu & MANO, Yukichi & NGUYEN, Duy Can & TSUKADA, Kazunari, 2023. "Government and market initiatives for the governance of fertilizer quality in Vietnam," Discussion paper series HIAS-E-130, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University.
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