In the Mekong Delta, farmers turn a threat into opportunity

MEKONG DELTA :: VIET NAM

Viet Nam’s “rice bowl” is brimming over—with salt water. As agricultural and domestic groundwater use drains aquifers, the Mekong Delta is sinking, causing seawater to move farther inland during the dry season. Because rice and other crops can’t grow in salty water, the intrusion threatens the livelihoods and food security of millions, not to mention the delicate ecosystem.

Some farmers have adapted by raising marine shrimp when the water turns brackish, while continuing to grow rice in the wet season, when freshwater is plentiful. To scale up this model and prove it can protect livelihoods and the ecosystem in the long term, WWF is partnering with Minh Phu Seafood Corporation, Viet Nam’s largest shrimp producer.

WWF works with farmers to earn Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification, and Minh Phu connects them to global markets where high-quality shrimp command premium prices. Participating farms have tripled their income, and an innovative new water-management protocol has helped counter land sinkage by up to 40%.

Now WWF is helping attract private funds to expand the project, which promises to generate returns for investors while keeping livelihoods afloat.