Agricultural Land-Use Dynamics in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: Policy Shifts, Practical Trade-Offs, and Livelihood Resilience

Abstract

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta is confronting double exposure to global climate change and anthropogenic stressors, notably accelerating land subsidence, sediment depletion, and protracted salinity intrusion. In this context, agricultural land-use transition has emerged as an inevitable livelihood adaptation strategy. Utilizing a systematic review approach integrated with the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, this paper critically analyzes land-use dynamics in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta to elucidate the acute trade-offs between national food security, short-term economic gains, and long-term ecological integrity. The findings reveal that the legacy rice-first mandate and hard-engineering interventions have eroded natural capital and undermined the livelihood resilience of smallholder farmers, thereby exacerbating their vulnerability. The study also evaluates the paradigm shift in state policy from “controlling nature” toward “flexible adaptation”. By leveraging the transformative provisions of the 2024 Land Law regarding multi-purpose land use and land consolidation, the paper proposes the adoption of Adaptive Agro-Ecological Zoning to resolve fresh-saline water conflicts. These policy instruments provide a timely a legal foundation for reconciling economic development with environmental sustainability, while emphasizing the necessity of building robust social safety nets to protect marginalized communities during this sustainable transition.