An assessment of irrigated rice cultivation with different crop establishment practices in Vietnam

Overuse of seed and chemical inputs is a major constraint for sustainable rice production in Vietnam. In this study, two seasons of field trials were conducted to compare different crop establishment practices for rice production in the Mekong River Delta using environmental and economic sustainability performance indicators. The indicators including energy efficiency, agronomic use efficiency, net income, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) were quantified based on four treatments including manual broadcast-seeding, blower seeding, drum seeding, and mechanized transplanting. Across the four treatments, yields ranged from 7.3–7.5 Mg ha−1 and 6.2–6.8 Mg ha−1 in the Winter-Spring (WS) and Summer-Autumn (SA) seasons, respectively. In comparison with direct seeding methods, mechanized transplanting decreased the seed rate by 40%. It also led to a 30–40% reduction in pesticide use during the main crop season (WS). Mechanized transplanting required higher inputs, including machine depreciation and fuel consumption, but its net energy balance, net income and GHGE were at a similar level as the other non-mechanized planting practices. Mechanized transplanting is a technology package that should be promoted to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of lowland rice cultivation in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam.

Back to Nature-Based Agriculture: Green Livelihoods Are Taking Root in the Mekong River Delta

Background and objective: Vietnam is prioritizing agricultural production for food export capacity in all national policies. As a result, for three decades, its agriculture has been making quite many remarkable achievements.Methods: The most successful one is that the nation has become one of the world’s leading rice exporters and ensures its national food security. Through these endeavors, the Mekong River Delta (MRD), in particular, has emerged as a key region in ensuring national food security and rice export.Results: The new era can now see Vietnamese agriculture turning to place special emphasis on commodity quality and the improvement of the living environment. This is evidenced, for example, by the phenomenon that the MRD, as a rice basket of the whole country, is making moves back to nature-based agriculture with attempts to restore the natural ecology, including preserving and restoring local traditional rice seeds, adopting natural farming practices and minimizing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.Conclusion: The case studies of nature-based farming practices in the MRD indicate that, while the national agriculture is generally developing large-scale production, the small-scale farming in the region, integrated with tourist and educational activities on-site, is meeting the demands of a highly potential domestic niche market. Moreover, this model appears to be a sustainable farming approach that defines itself as a working green livelihood for the region.

The Role of Opportunity Exploration, Exploitation and Corporate Social Responsibilities on Sustainable Manufacturing Business Performance in Mekong River Delta

A given business or market environment and corporate responsibilities always offers opportunities that have a direct impact on the sustainable business performance. Several scholars have researched on how to take advantage of these opportunities in creating sustainable business performance. This study analyzes determinants of the exploration, business opportunity exploitation, corporate social responsibilities (CSR) and sustainable business performance of manufacturing industry based in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam. The data was collected by questionnaires. This study applying the Structural Equation Model (SEM) results, the author finds strong evidence of opportunity exploration, opportunity exploitation and CSR have positive impact with sustainable business performance. This study provides the guidelines to the regulators while developing the policies related to the opportunity exploration, and CSR that enhance the sustainable business performance.

Progress of cooperation for sustainable development of the greater Mekong subregion and Vietnam's contribution

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) includes the territories of the following countries: China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, established in 1992 because of the common flow of the Mekong River. With the goal of sustainable development, the operation of GMS has made many positive contributions to the general development of the region as well as the socio-economic development of the member countries. The article presents the process of Vietnam joining the GMS since 1992 and being a founding member of this organization with its advantages and limitations. It is a country located in the lower Mekong River, very vulnerable and vulnerable if the GMS cooperation process takes place without sustainability. As a country with a position in the region, a responsible member to the international and regional community, Vietnam participates in the GMS process with the desire to build the GMS into a region of peace and stability and develop. Therefore, overcoming barriers and difficulties, Vietnam has actively enhanced multilateral and bilateral cooperation and has made many positive contributions to GMS cooperation programs and projects. Vietnam's contribution shows the spirit of positive and proactive international integration.