Farmer adoptability for livelihood transformations in the Mekong Delta: a case in Ben Tre province

Abstract

Sustainable livelihood development is an ongoing challenge worldwide, and has regained importance due to threats of water shortages and climate change. To cope with changing climatic, demographic and market conditions in Vietnam's Mekong Delta (VMD) an agricultural transformation process has been suggested in the recent Mekong Delta Plan. This agricultural transformation process requires the implementation of alternative livelihood models. The majority of current agricultural livelihood models in the VMD have been introduced by the government in a top-down manner. In this study, we applied a bottom-up approach to understand the motivations and abilities of local farmers to adopt alternative livelihood models. It is based on the MOTA methodological framework, which is further tested with the use of multivariate analyses. The study was conducted in Ben Tre coastal province. Results showed that farmers' motivations and abilities to apply alternative models vary substantially among different groups, driven by their perceptions on triggers and opportunities. Acknowledging this diversity is essential to the development of agricultural transformation plans. Furthermore, based on the analysis, a projection of the precise support that communities need to supplement their knowledge, skills and financial capacities, as well as interventions to reduce the risks of new livelihood models, is given.

Navigating the bureaucracy: an analysis of implementation feasibility for the Mekong Delta Plan, Vietnam

“…The inclusion of market, civil society and international development actors could provide a more complete overview of the implementation feasibility and would allow for the design of governance arrangements that would go beyond the realm of the state. For example, in another paper (Nguyen et al 2019), it was found that market stability is a major factor affecting the livelihood adoptability of farmers. For this, the linkages between farmers, the authorities and entrepreneurs play an essential role in implementing livelihood plans.…”

“…The province of Ben Tre was selected as the study site, as it endured severe salinity intrusion in the 2015/2016 season, requiring a provincial level response within the larger framework of the MDP. Previous MOTA research has been initiated in this province, focusing on the adaptability of local farmers and government officials, providing a good starting point for further data collection (IUCN and WACC 2016;Nguyen et al 2019) The MDP distinguishes two main challenges in Ben Tre province: adapting to salinity and modernizing the agricultural sector into an agribusiness model. An agribusiness model entails an integration of the agro-sector with market demands and should replace the existing system of government-controlled rice quotas (Royal Haskoning, Deltares, and Rebel 2013).…”

“…Table 1 lists the interviews conducted for this case study. These interview data were supplemented by case-related documentation and data obtained from earlier MOTA research activities in the region [see also (Nguyen et al 2019)].…”

Elaborating a people-centered approach to understanding sustainable livelihoods under climate and environmental change: Thang Binh District, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam

“…Yet, scholarship also suggests that community-level actions-and some aspects of climate-dependent livelihoods-can in themselves be a source of strength in imagining and enacting sustainable futures for a locality. Attention to these 'bottom-up' factors may uncover motivations for change from the personal level (Nguyen et al 2019); take advantage of indigenous knowledge and traditional practices that can support communities in the face of shocks and stresses (Biggs et al 2018;Lin and Liu 2016); and strengthen cultural confidence while uncovering possible synergies between environmental protection and traditional practices (Lin and Chang 2013). It is also important to acknowledge, however, that already wealthier or more educated households may have more ability to diversify their livelihoods and remain in their communities, rather than depending on subsistence or migrating to urban areas (Tran and James 2017).…”

Strategic delta planning: launching new ideas on managing a Delta, and their travels along actor coalitions, participatory planning tools and implementation timelines

“…Two contributions introduce and discuss the motivation and ability framework (MOTA). First, Nguyen et al (2019) propose a toolkit for agricultural transformation and livelihood options. The results of the application of the livelihood toolkit in Ben Tre province, Vietnam, offer insights for agricultural transformation analysis and can be used as input for the strategic delta plan for the region.…”