Agriculture and Environment in the Mekong Delta: 80 Years of adaptation and transformation

The first mark of land reclamation

Since the early days of reclaiming and expanding the southern frontier, the Mekong Delta has been a promised land - blessed by nature with fertile alluvium, rivers, and abundant aquatic resources. Here, generations of hardworking farmers have successively reclaimed land, built dikes, dug canals, and cultivated fields and gardens, shaping the prosperous agricultural landscape seen today.

Over the past 80 years, the agriculture and environment sectors have journeyed alongside the farmers, together writing the remarkable story of transformation across this vast delta.

Ca Mau, Vietnam’s southernmost province, is bordered by the sea on three sides and by Can Tho City and An Giang Province on the mainland. Covering nearly 8,000 square kilometers and home to about 2.6 million people, it stands as a land where water, forests, and people have long lived in harmony.

For generations, aquaculture has been the lifeblood of Ca Mau’s economy. From traditional extensive farming, local communities, both forest and coastal dwellers, have gradually shifted toward sustainable practices such as ecological shrimp farming and integrated shrimp-mangrove models, adapting to the challenges of climate change.

The lush mangrove forests embracing shrimp ponds have become an iconic image of Ca Mau, “a land of endless green mangroves, vast white fields, and shimmering waters teeming with fish and shrimp.” This harmonious balance between humans and nature has guided local agriculture toward stable, sustainable growth and climate resilience.

In recent years, the province’s agriculture and environment sectors have focused not only on improving productivity but also on pursuing sustainability, reducing emissions, and maintaining the global reputation of “Ca Mau shrimp.” The integration of agriculture and environmental management is evident in its ecological aquaculture programs, which link production with traceability, mangrove ecosystem conservation, and biodiversity protection along the coast.

Ca Mau has successfully organized two major events, the Ca Mau Shrimp Festival and the Crab Festival, further solidifying its reputation as “the shrimp capital of Vietnam.”

Alongside aquaculture, the province has achieved notable progress in rice research and breeding, developing new varieties suited to local conditions to enhance productivity, quality, and added value. Ca Mau also focuses on brand building, geographical indication registration, and intellectual property protection, while promoting local agricultural brands from Ca Mau and Bac Lieu. The province’s diverse OCOP (One Commune One Product) portfolio continues to grow in both quality and quantity, with many products now entering supermarket supply chains and export markets.

Meanwhile, salt production has also received renewed attention and investment. The Vietnam Salt Industry Festival - Bac Lieu 2025 marked an important milestone, opening new opportunities for the traditional salt-making sector.

Bordering Ca Mau, An Giang Province is known as Vietnam's rice bowl. Its vast rice fields and intricate canal networks stand as a testament to the wisdom and hard work of generations of Mekong Delta farmers.

From a subsistence-based agricultural economy, An Giang has emerged as a leader in science and technology application, developing large-scale rice fields and producing high-quality rice with clear traceability.

Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries remain key pillars of the provincial economy, with sectoral restructuring tailored to each region’s strengths, ensuring both food security and export growth. An Giang is also among the pioneers in implementing the One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice Project across the Mekong Delta.

Between 2021 and 2025, the province’s economy has shown significant progress, achieving an average annual GRDP growth rate of 5.62%, with the agriculture-forestry-fishery sector growing by 2.59%.

Cooperative models that partner with enterprises and apply low-emission farming practices, using organic fertilizers, saving water, and reducing pesticide use, are opening new pathways for An Giang’s green agriculture.

Local authorities and technical sectors have accompanied farmers in gradually shifting their mindset from “producing more” to “producing better,” helping An Giang rice not only meet domestic demand but also reach demanding markets such as Europe and Japan.

Agriculture cannot be separated from the environment

In Can Tho City, the central urban hub of the Mekong Delta, the agriculture and environment sectors have achieved remarkable progress in management, planning, human resource development, and the application of science and technology in production.

In recent years, Can Tho has been a pioneer in implementing circular and organic agriculture models, particularly low-emission farming, in line with the nation’s “green growth” orientation. The application of digital technologies in production management, traceability, and environmental monitoring has made the agricultural sector increasingly professional, moving toward modern, transparent, and environmentally friendly management.

In June 2025, Viet Nam’s rice industry celebrated a milestone as 500 tons of Japonica rice produced by Trung An Hi-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company from Can Tho City, branded as “Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice”, were exported to Japan for the first time. This event marked not only a breakthrough for a Can Tho enterprise but also reaffirmed that Viet Nam’s agriculture is undergoing a strong transformation toward cleaner, higher-quality, and more sustainable production.

Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat once shared that during his field visits to the Mekong Delta, he witnessed a positive change among farmers - who, from initial hesitation about changing cultivation practices, have now become confident and enthusiastic as they see tangible benefits: reduced costs, increased income, and contributions to environmental protection.

The growth of the agriculture and environment sectors today offers clear proof that farmers are not only earning better livelihoods but also taking pride in being protectors of the environment.

Chairman of the Can Tho City People’s Committee, Truong Canh Tuyen, emphasized that the integration of agriculture and environmental management marks a significant step forward, reflecting the State’s strategic vision in the new development context. He affirmed: “Agriculture cannot be separated from the environment. Only when production goes hand in hand with resource protection can we build a truly sustainable agricultural sector capable of adapting to climate change - the urgent challenge facing the Mekong Delta today.”

He noted that over the past 80 years, the agriculture and environment sectors have not only ensured livelihoods and national food security but also played an important role in preserving ecosystems and protecting water and soil resources.

As a cadre with more than 20 years of experience in the agriculture and environment sectors, Mr. Tran Thai Nghiem, Party Secretary of Thanh Phu Commune and former Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, shared that by 2045, agriculture and environment will likely remain pillars of the economy. These are areas of great interest to both rural and urban farmers, reflecting the community's strong bond with the sector.

His years of service in the field have helped Mr. Nghiem develop a practical, close-to-the-people working style deeply rooted in real-life experience. Thanks to this, even after moving to a new position in a purely agricultural commune where he had not previously worked, his approach, shaped by the agricultural and environmental sectors, earned him great trust and respect from local residents.

Looking back on its journey, the story of the agriculture and environment sectors in the Mekong Delta is one of continuous adaptation and transformation. Each locality has its own strengths and development pathways, yet all share a common goal: achieving harmony between production and environmental protection, improving people’s livelihoods, and preserving natural resources for future generations.