Adaptation to Land Degradation in Southeast Vietnam

Anne Gobin,Nguyen Ngoc Thang,Pham Quang Vinh,Le Thi Thu Hien,Le Trinh Hai,Pham Ha Linh

doi:10.3390/land9090302

Abstract

A framework was developed to elucidate (1) the drivers of land degradation, (2) pressures, (3) local impacts and vulnerabilities and (4) adaptation strategies. The combination of participatory approaches, statistical data analysis, time series Landsat imagery and spatial data mining was tested in southeast Vietnam where the impacts of land degradation on the environment and economy are considerable. The major drivers of land degradation are climate, notably drought, and population density. The pressures include natural resource management and land use/cover change. A Landsat archive analysis showed an increase in agricultural land use from 31% to 50%, mostly at the expense of forests, from 1990 to 2019. Farmers adapted by investing in the irrigation of rice and dragon fruit, and by selecting their rainfed crops in line with the changing environment. The most vulnerable were the rural poor and farmers without access to land and water resources. The best protection against land degradation was prosperity, which is enhanced by the region’s location along Vietnam’s major national route, connecting major cities along a north–south axis. Our analysis shows that southeast Vietnam emerged as a region with an important human ecological resilience strengthened by increased prosperity. The current adaptation options and limitations warrant further research.

Highlights

Land degradation is a reduction in or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rainfed cropland, irrigated cropland, or ranges, pastures, forests and woodlands [1].Land degradation results from land uses or from a process or combination of processes arising from human activities [1]
In order to comprehend the impacts of land degradation, a field reconnaissance survey was organised to include a participatory land resource analysis [39], and transecting the major landscapes [38,64] within the province to elucidate the major differences in the region (Figure 2)
The first section illustrates the patterns of land degradation (Section 3.1)

Summary

Introduction

Land degradation is a reduction in or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rainfed cropland, irrigated cropland, or ranges, pastures, forests and woodlands [1]. Land degradation results from land uses or from a process or combination of processes arising from human activities [1]. Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG15) calls for the protection of terrestrial ecosystems against land degradation [2]. Land Degradation Neutrality aims at maintaining or enhancing land-based natural capital and its associated ecosystem services [3,4] with Target Setting. Land degradation is caused by multiple drivers, including extreme weather conditions and human activities that degrade soil quality and land utility [6,7,8].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion