.png)
AGRICULTURE
Agricultural activities in the Mekong Delta (MKD) are not only an economic pillar but also a primary factor altering the environmental landscape of the region. The transition from traditional rice cultivation to intensive multi-cropping, combined with the explosion of industrial-scale livestock farming, has created unprecedented pressure on natural ecosystems.
Impacts of Crop Production and Rice Intensification
The most distinct change stems from the over-reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides to maintain yields in triple-crop rice models. Excess chemical residues not absorbed by crops are leached into the canal systems, causing eutrophication, degrading surface water quality, and destroying indigenous aquatic species. Furthermore, the construction of closed dike systems for year-round agricultural production has obstructed natural flows, preventing the annual replenishment of fertile sediment. Consequently, the soil becomes degraded, hardened, and toxic, forcing farmers to use even more chemicals and creating a detrimental cycle for environmental sustainability.
Pressure from Livestock and Poultry Farming
Parallel to crop cultivation, livestock activities in the MKD—particularly pig and poultry farming at the household or medium-farm scale—are raising major concerns regarding organic pollution. Due to unsynchronized waste treatment infrastructure, a large volume of manure and wastewater is often discharged directly or leaked into river systems. This not only increases the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms in the water but also disperses odors and emissions such as NH3 (ammonia) or CH4 (methane), contributing to the greenhouse effect. The excessive accumulation of organic matter in small canals, which already have low flow velocities during the dry season, has turned many areas into "dead rivers," directly affecting public health and domestic water sources.
Alteration of Water Resources and Salinity Intrusion
Changes in agricultural practices have also exacerbated freshwater scarcity and salinity intrusion in the delta. To support irrigation for upland crops and fruit trees during the dry season, excessive groundwater extraction has led to land subsidence, allowing seawater to penetrate deeper inland. The shift in crop structure from rice to high-economic-value crops that require strict freshwater conditions has inadvertently created conflicts in water resource management. This not only alters the physicochemical properties of the soil but also disrupts the ecological balance between freshwater, brackish, and saltwater zones, leading to the loss of characteristic natural habitats in estuarine areas.