Toward Sustainable Agriculture: An Evaluation of Mechanization Practices in Small-Scale Paddy Farming in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam

Better market linkages and higher farm benefits for smallholder farmers in emerging and developing economies have received remarkable attention worldwide (Minot and Roy, 2007; Kumar et al., 2011). In this regard, contract farming (CF) is proposed as a better solution to the fact that smallholders are otherwise potentially dropped out of the modern marketing channels because of small-scale production and farmers from emerging and developing countries are to earn more farm benefit by getting closely linked to modern, in many cases global food value chains markets (Bacon, 2005; Mangala and Chengappa, 2008; Minten et al., 2009; Rao et al., 2012; Jia and Bijman, 2013). Furthermore it is expected that the challenges of a sharply increasing world population, the overuse of natural resources, and the reduction of overall agricultural land size can be met by contracting smallholder farmers (Sartorius, 2013). However, the circumstances of farmers’ decision in contracting and its influences on farm performances have remained uncertain so far for many specific countries and products (Rao et al., 2012). 
\nAmong the major rice farming countries in Southeast Asia, i.e. Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand, Vietnam is characterized by very favorable natural and social conditions for irrigated rice production in bulk. Irrigated rice production in the country is based on high soil quality, tropical monsoon weather, numerous water-flows and a large share of the population working in the agricultural sector (more than 66%) (Ya’kub et al., 2012). However, low quality and a lack of professionalism are dramatic problems of the Vietnamese rice export sector (Reardon et al., 2014). Vietnam is still known as a low-quality rice supplier; as a result the Vietnamese rice price is 20% to 30% lower than the Thai rice price (Kubo, 2013). The Vietnamese rice has also lately entered the world export market while the prices were already steadily declining (Nielsen, 2003; Dechachete, 2011; Ramberg, 2011). Currently, the Vietnamese rice sector is characterized by a lack of information with short technical assistances, and low input qualities. It is assumed that there is still a large potential to increase the ability of smallholders to improve production and increase rice yields, overcome existing market barriers, access export markets and increase farm benefits and improve the livelihood of farmers’ families. By further promoting the CF scheme in 2002, the Vietnamese government proposed a better frame for the agricultural sector, especially, for the rice sector in the country (Kompas, 2002; Hoang and Yabe, 2012; Vu, 2012). 
\nBy farmers’ participation in the CF scheme, the production of high-quality products due to improved farmer training and better quality of input factors is a possible solution for Vietnamese rice to more successfully compete on the world market (Dawe, 2004). Furthermore, farmers can expect a price differential due to improved quality and competitiveness. Thus, this scheme is assumed to support smallholders to increase farm benefits. In addition, the CF scheme has been implemented to improve farmers’ bargaining power and to create an official ground for smallholders to directly deal with private sectors in the Vietnamese economy. In terms of firm benefits, these decisions also clarify the government’s efforts to support the private sector in supplying agricultural inputs to farmers such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, credit, and extension services (Ya’kub et al., 2012). Furthermore, this step is also an important procedure to secure national food demand, improve international competitiveness, and upgrade the position of export-oriented rice farmers (Goletti et al., 1997; ADB, 2005). However, in terms of empirical research, up to this date, there are only very few studies that explore the benefits of CF for exporters of rice farmers in Vietnam, especially with regard to the Mekong River Delta (MRD) where about 90% of the national export rice quantity is produced (Loc and Son, 2011). Therefore, there is a lack of in-depth quantitative studies analyzing the effects of CF participation with regard to farmers’ marketing decisions, farm performance and technical efficiency, especially, in the export-oriented rice production segment. Against this background it is the objective of this dissertation to close this research gap by providing a better understanding of farmers’ decision making with regard to the CF scheme and providing more in-depth insights into the effects of contract farming on efficiency and farm performance.
\nThe conceptual framework of this study is based on the New Institutional Economics perspective proposed by Coase (1937) and Williamson (1975). The underlying ideas about the contract concept explained in the following basically refer back to the three major sub-strands, i.e. agency theory (Ross, 1973), transaction cost theory (Benjamin et al., 1978; Williamson, 1979), and property rights theory (Alchian and Demsetz, 1973; Grossman and Hart, 1986). Thereof, the transaction cost theory is particularly suitable for this study since it describes “uncertainty” as a main dimension (together with “asset specificity” and “frequency”) influencing the appropriateness of governance mechanisms in (food) supply chains (Williamson, 1979). The market imperfections due to a lack of information, a limited accessibility of inputs, and a shortage of technical assistance all contribute to “uncertainty” and are related to the research topic and objective of this study. In spite of increasing pressure to deliver high quality export products at competitive prices to enter the up-market domestic and global value chains, the CF scheme still faces some constraints in emerging and developing economies. This can be explained by reference to the poor coordination among parties, unfavorable contracts, and specified socio-demographic characteristics (Da Silva, 2005; Simmons et al., 2005; Hongdong, 2007; Wang et al., 2014). Nonetheless, these aspects have only been poorly analyzed so far and are not well understood, both from a theoretical and an empirical perspective. This dissertation seeks to overcome this weakness by building up the conceptual framework and empirical methodology to capture these aspects of the export-oriented rice sector in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam. 
\nWe address these research objectives by using primary data collected in early 2016 in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) of Vietnam, where nearly 90% of the country’s export rice is produced. The target population of 250.000 households lives in the three main export-oriented rice production regions namely Kien Giang, Can Tho, and An Giang provinces, in the MRD (USDA, 2015). Using a structured questionnaire, 250 households were randomly chosen from the aforementioned provinces. To thereby ensure the comparability of contract and non-contract farmers, we randomly selected 134 contract farmers from contractor lists and 116 non-contract farmers from village official lists of 12 villages. The surveyed households had to meet two criteria: Firstly, they had to be located in the same area as the contract participants, and secondly, they also had to produce export-oriented rice. These selected farmers cumulate rice under written contracts. The contracting company is in charge of specifying the production practices, including input supply (seeds, fertilizer, pesticides), extension services, and the commitment of buying the products (Simmons et al., 2005; Bijman, 2008). In this study, the export-oriented rice farmers were interviewed regarding the information about three types of export-oriented rice producing seasons between November 2014 and October 2015. 
\nIn the first paper, we explore the factors that determine smallholder farmers’ probability in developing and emerging economies to participate in CF scheme. We particularly focus on the accessibility of market information. A binary probit model is applied to examine the probability to participate in the CF scheme. We follow Heckman's (1979) method to compare the probit results with the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) in order to control any sample selection bias (Wynand and Bernard, 1981). Results reveal that farmers’ contracting decisions are strongly affected by farm characteristics, market information access, and household characteristics. Remarkably, the accessibility of world market price information significantly increases smallholders’ likelihood to participate in CF. Moreover, the extension service offered by the contractors is considered to be an important motivator for rice smallholders to participate in CF. The availability of price information should be taken into account by the government to motivate the active participation of smallholders in contractual arrangements.
\nThe second paper provides the evidence about how the CF scheme influences household income and rice profit within the export-oriented rice sector in Vietnam. We employ the Ordinary Least Squared (OLS) estimation in combination with propensity score matching (PSM) procedure to control any sampling bias. The result confirms a positive effect of contract participation status on farming households’ performance. Particularly, together with “farming size” and “the accessibility of extension services”, “the accessibility of world price information” is found as a positive determinant. Moreover, CF participation is considered to be an important influencer for rice smallholders to increase their income and rice profit. In addition, it becomes evident that not only larger-scale farmers but also small-scale farmers can benefit from contract participation. In this connection, the OLS regression in combination with PSM gives noticeable evidence for the role of CF in improving household income of smallholders by 20.87% and rice profit by 30.54% in Vietnam.
\nIn the third paper, we investigate how CF improves the t

The objective of this study is to assess the impacts of physical and chemical parameters of water and soil on the quality of concrete construction works, and thus the degradation of concrete strength due to corrosion in both inland and coastal areas of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD). Field survey, water and soil samplings were carried out and both in-situ and laboratory testing methods according to the Vietnamese standards were used. Then, the impacts of water and soil characteristics on the concrete strength of construction structures were assessed. The results show that acidic soil (pH < 6.5) as well as metal pollution and soil eutrophication occur in both regions of the VMD. Similarly, HCO3− characterizing alkalinity soil is found to be low in An Giang, Kien Giang, and Soc Trang provinces; and high iron is found in soil in An Giang, Tra Vinh, and Ca Mau provinces. Therefore, natural water used in construction needs to be treated with organic impurities in both regions. In coastal areas, additional treatment of saline water is required to meet Vietnamese standards used for concrete and mortar mixing water (TCVN 4506:2012). It is necessary to pay attention to the acidic nature of soil and water in An Giang province, and the acidic and salty soil properties in Kien Giang province. In addition, the degradation rate of concrete structures is found higher in the coastal area compared to that in the inland area for both concrete working conditions (fully and partially submerged conditions). Therefore, the risk of double impacts from water and soil quality of both “sour” and “salty” properties on the life of concrete structures needs to be further studied.

This study was conducted to assess the current status of mechanization in lime growing activities of farmer households in the Mekong River Delta. The current status of mechanization was assessed through different groups of criteria that reflect the scale of mechanization level, resources of farmers applying mechanization, results, and production efficiency. The level of machine and technology application was assessed by building the mechanization index. With a sample of 555 lime farmer households in Long An and Ben Tre, the results showed that the application of machines and equipment in lime growing activities in the study area was quite limited. Households mainly used machines in two stages including land preparation (42% of households applying mechanization) and tree care (93 %). The growth rate and mechanization investment of the 2016-2019 period were almost unchanged. The estimated results of mechanization index showed that most of lime growers had a very low mechanization application level with an average value of only 0.09. In fact, 2% of the surveyed households do not invest in mechanization in lime production, 89.8% are in the group with very low mechanization level, 3.1% at low mechanization level, only 5.1% at medium mechanization level and no household had high mechanization application level. From the survey results, potential technical solutions for lime farming in the Mekong River Delta were also proposed, including mechanization for small and medium farms and mechanization considerations for plant care. Finally, in order to improve the quality of lime fruit, the semi-mechanization harvesting systems and appropriate storage facility and suitable packaging are highly recommended.

The study is conducted with the goal of analyzing the financial efficiency of 308 crab - shrimp farming households in the Mekong Delta, finding factors that affect financial efficiency and the extent of their influence on farm household income. Research results show that extensive crab-shrimp farming households are highly effective. With the average cost of investment in production during the crab farming process of 2,051 thousand VND/1,000m2, the average revenue brought from farming Crab farming of 5,099 thousand VND/1,000m2, farmers have an average profit of about 3,020 thousand VND/1,000m2. The average value of the financial ratios shows that the production model in the Mekong Delta is financially effective, the average value of the revenue/cash cost is 8.08, profit/total costs is 2.31, net income/cash costs is 7.08, and profit /revenue is 0.37. Factors affecting the profits of extensive mud crab farmers consist of three influencing factors: Area, crab/total crab ratio, and farmers in Kien Giang Province. Additionally, the number of years of farming experience has an influence, but its impact is not statistically significant

The objectives of this study were to isolate and determine the ability of bacterial strains to decompose sugarcane leaves from acid sulfate soils in the Mekong River Delta (MRD). Soil samples were collected from three acid sulfate soils in Ben Luc district, Long An province, Phung Hiep district, Hau Giang province, and Hon Dat district, Kien Giang province where large sugarcane areas cultivated. Six soil samples were collected and coded: LA1, LA2, HG1, HG2, KG1, and KG2. The results of the study have isolated 18 strains of bacteria are capable of producing cellulase enzyme that breaks down cellulose including LA2-4b, LA2-1, LA2-4a, LA2-2, KG2-1, KG2-2a, KG2-2b, KG2-3, KG2-20, KG2-21, KG2-22, KG2-24, KG2-26, KG2-27, LA1-1, LA1-2, LA1-3, LA1-7. All isolated bacterial strains have the ability to effectively decompose sugarcane leaves, have the potential to apply in practical production, and contribute to improving the quality of acid sulfate soils in the MRD. In which, five selected bacterial strains (LA1-1, LA2-4a, LA2-4b, KG2-2b, and KG2-24) were significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) in the decomposition of sugarcane leaves than the treatment without bacteria.

Sustainability of rice-based livelihoods in the upper floodplains of Vietnamese Mekong Delta: Prospects and challenges

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.

Objective: This study aims to demonstrate the influencing factors of solar technology acceptance by enterprises in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Method: The research data were collected using the quota sampling method, with a sample size of 292 active businesses in the Mekong Delta: Can Tho City (80 enterprises), Long An Province (77 enterprises), Tien Giang Province (68 enterprises), and Kien Giang Province (67 enterprises). The collected data will be processed using SPSS and AMOS software. The quantitative analyses employed to test the research hypotheses include a reliability test by Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The study has identified five factors that positively influence the intention to use solar technology by businesses, including effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, and facilitating conditions. Additionally, the study has shown the significant and decisive impact of intention to use on the behavior of using solar technology. Conclusions: The research findings further validate the suitability of the UTAUT in the field of renewable energy technology. The research results will provide important scientific materials for business managers in the solar energy field and researchers studying the acceptance of solar energy technology.

Vietnam was an agricultural importing country during the 1970s. Since reforming its policies in 1986, through the removal of price controls on many goods, decollectivization of land, reduction or removal trade barriers and opening up to foreign direct investment, Vietnam has gradually become one of the biggest agricultural exporting countries in the world. Recently, it has been the world’s leading exporter of cashews, coffee, rubber, and black pepper, and the second biggest rice exporter. Almost all Vietnamese export rice originates from the Mekong River Delta (MRD), an area of around 40,000 km2. More than 18 million tons of rice are produced in the MRD every year, and this comprises half of the total amount of rice produced in Vietnam. In addition, MRD farmers also grow vegetable crops like cassava and maize in paddy fields between two planting seasons of rice to gain extra income and improve soil fertility. Soybeans are one of the most popular vegetable crops in the MRD. This study used primary data on soybean farmers for analyzing productive efficiency in the MRD of Vietnam. Although agriculture plays the most important role in the Vietnamese economy, its contribution to GDP is gradually decreasing every year. The slow rate of agriculture development results in low income, which seriously limits opportunities for savings and investment in rural households. Consequently, the rate of development of nonagricultural sectors is also declining, resulting in a lack of jobs and more serious poverty in rural areas. Some reports have found that low efficiency in agricultural production could damage the environment through deforestation or water pollution (Tewodros, 2001). Most studies agree that economic development strategy for the agricultural sector should be based on the promotion of increasing yields or production amounts, especially for smallscale farmers. Some empirical evidence shows that small-scale farms not only provided jobs to reduce unemployment but also distributed income as well as commodity demand in other economic sectors (Bravo-Ureta & Evenson, 1994). For this reason, researchers and policymakers have paid much attention to the adaptation of new technologies to increase the productivity and income of households. However, in recent decades, the development of technologies in agricultural sectors is already high. This suggests that the increase in productivity originally from the more efficient use of available technologies is vindicated (Bravo-Ureta & Pinheiro, 1997). The term “productive efficiency”, as used in this study, refers to the amount of possible output gain without any additional inputs or new technologies. The measurement of

This study aims to examine variations in drought severity in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) derived from the Landsat satellite images. The spatial analysis approach integrated Theil-Sen slope and Mann-Kendall significance tests were applied to time-series NDWI data from 1989 to 2018 and to estimate the spatiotemporal dynamics of drought in the study area. Results showed that drought increased in large area (approximately 13,675.38 square kilometres) and covered almost the Mekong River Delta. However, upward trend was significant observed in coastal areas, particular in Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces.

Salmonella is one of the most severe pathogens causing diseases in poultry and humans, and several factors could become transmission vectors in the husbandry environment. This study was conducted from April to July 2024 to clarify the prevalence of common Salmonella serovars in chickens and the husbandry environment and their pathogenicity and genetic relationship in small-scale farms in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A total of 279 samples were randomly collected from fresh chickens’ feces (n = 54), husbandry environment (n=81), and pests (n=144), including rats, geckos, and ants, in four small-scale farms to examine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. By the conventional isolation method, 75 samples were positive for Salmonella, accounting for 26.88%. The prevalence of Salmonella in chicken feces, the environment, and pests were 27.78%, 12.35%, and 34.72%, respectively. Of 75 positive Salmonella isolates, two common serovars were identified, including S. Gallinarum (13.33%) and S. Enteritidis (10.67%); however, S. Pullorum and S. Typhimurium were not detected using PCR. These Salmonella isolates were detected virulent genes by using PCR, and found that these isolates harbored several virulent genes, including InvA (100%), fimA (100%), stn (93.33%), sopB (89.33%), and sodC1 (54.57%). The ERIC-PCR method was used to determine the genetic relationship among Salmonella strains carrying virulent genes present in chickens, environment, and pests in these small-scale farms. The results showed diversity in phenotype and similarity in the genetic relationship (more than 75% similarity) among Salmonella strains isolated from chicken feces and the livestock environment. In conclusion, the study indicated that pathogenic Salmonella serovars could survive and be transmitted among sources, including chickens, the husbandry environment, and pests in small-scale poultry farms in the Mekong Delta.

Introduction by Mart A. Stewart and Peter A. CoclanisI Environmental Change in the Mekong Delta - Actions and Agencies 1. Think Global, Act Global, in the Mekong Delta? Environmental Change, Civil Society and NGOs from the Inside Looking Out. 2. Fixing the Delta: History and the Politics of Hydraulic InfrastructureDevelopment and Conservation in the Mekong Delta 3. A History of Hydraulic Environmental Management in the Red River Delta before the Colonial Intervention. 4.'A Kind of Mylai ..Against the Indochinese Countryside': American Scientists, Herbicides, and South Vietnamese Mangrove Forests. 5. The Politics and Culture of 'Climate Change': U.S. Actors and Global Implications. II Social and Economic Dynamics 6. Precarious Paddies: The Uncertain, Unstable, and Insecure Lives of Rice Farmers in the Mekong Delta. 7. Analysis of Labor Migration Flows in the Mekong Delta of Viet Nam. 8. Dynamic resilience of peri-urban agriculture in the Mekong Delta under pressures of socio-economic transformation and climate change. 9. Economic and efficiency analysis of selected farming patterns: the case of irrigated systems in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. 10. Evaluation of Living with Flood Policy: The Case of the Resettlement Program in the Mekong Delta. III Consequences of Environmental Change 11. Climate Change in the Mekong River Delta and Key Concerns about Future Climate Threats. 12. Climate Change Adaptation and Agrichemicals in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. 13. Roles of Men and Women in Disaster Risk Management: A Case Study of a Flood-Prone Village along the Mekong River of Cambodia. IV Human Responses to Environmental Change 14. Community-based fish culture - a viable coping strategy for farmers in the Mekong Delta? 15. From rice to shrimp: Ecological changes and human adaptation in the Mekong Delta. 16. Relationship quality in Pangasius value chains: The case of buyer - supplier management in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam. 17. The relationship between natural conditions and the formation and development of clam grounds (Metrix lyrata) in the Mekong Delta. 18. Compost potential from solid waste toward sustainable agriculture and the mitigation of global warming in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. 19. Biogas Production of Pig Manure with Water Hyacinth Juice from Batch Anaerobic Digestion. 20. Community scale wind powered desalination for selected coastal Mekong provinces in Vietnam. 21. Promotion of organic cocoa in mixed farming system in the Mekong Delta region: a preliminary analysis. 22. The Transition from Conventional to Organic Rice Production in Northeastern Thailand: Prospect and Challenges. 23. Mekong Delta Rice and Aquaculture Production and Climate Variability: Coping and Adaptation Strategies.

This study examines the influence of demographic factors on farmers' environmental protection behaviors in the Mekong Delta, a region vital for Vietnam’s ecological and agricultural sustainability. Focusing on gender, education, farm size, and agricultural experience, the study identifies key demographic determinants across agricultural production, technology investment, and daily life. A cross-sectional survey of 250 farmers from a Mekong Delta province was conducted using a structured questionnaire comprising six scales, which demonstrated acceptable reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA. Results revealed significant demographic differences: female farmers scored higher in agricultural production practices (M = 3.02, SD = 0.76) than males (M = 2.78, SD = 0.71, p = 0.013); farmers with higher education outperformed those with lower education in technology investment (M = 3.21 vs. M = 2.70, p &lt; 0.001); small-scale farmers engaged more strongly in environmental behaviors (p = 0.029); and farmers with less than 10 years of experience reported better environmental practices (p &lt; 0.001). The findings highlight the need for targeted policies and educational programs to address demographic disparities and promote sustainable farming practices, particularly among women, smaller-scale farmers, and less-experienced farmers. Future research should integrate economic and institutional factors to further enhance environmental stewardship in the Mekong Delta.

This study aimed to evaluate the current status on the use of probiotics, disinfectants and antimicrobials in hatcheries, nurseries and grow-out farms producing Pangasius catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 83 aquaculture enterprises (15 hatcheries, 32 nurseries and 36 grow-out farms). Farmers reported use of a total of 24 different antimicrobials, e.g. for treatment of bacillary necrosis and motile aeromonad septicaemia, and a variety of disinfectants, probiotics and nutritional supplements. In contrast to small-scale farmers, all large-scale grow-out farmers studied were certified and therefore had higher levels of formal education and specialized aquaculture training to diagnose and treat diseases. All farmers prepared their own medicated feed with a high risk of treatment failure, negative environmental impact from released antimicrobials and resistance development. Small-scale farmers were at particular occupational health risks when handling antimicrobials and other chemicals, e.g. mixing medicated feed with bare hands. There is an urgent need to improve knowledge and use innovative approaches, e.g. private-public partnerships, to assure a prudent use of chemicals, to improve capacity and access to disease diagnosis, particularly for small-scale grow-out farmers and nurseries. Efforts to control use of antimicrobials in aquaculture should be coordinated with the livestock and human health sectors taking an One-Health approach.

Full dyke system has greatly benefited farmers in cultivating triple rice cropping during flooding seasons in the Mekong Delta. Although tripple rice cropping brings benefits, its full dyke system has changed flooding situation in the Mekong Delta and stopped sediments to enrich the rice fields. Long-term intensive rice cultivation leads to soil degradation, which is one of the causes of reduced rice yields and productivity. The study aims to evaluate the changes in triple rice yield and productivity under the effect of a flood control dyke system in An Giang province. Spatial data on flooding and land use derived from MODIS satellite imagery was analyzed and compared with data of flood extension from Radar satellite product, while land use data from MODIS was verified with cultivation rice data from Statistical Yearbooks issued by An Giang province from 2000 - 2020. The result of this study shows that the flooded area decreased by 65.92%, creating conditions for farmers to expand the triple rice cropping area by 46,61%. However, the area of triple rice cropping in the phase of 2011 - 2020 has reduced 13,90%. As a result, the production decreased by 9,82% in the proportion of rice in the whole year and a 0,83 ton/ha decreased in comparison with the period when the dyke system was still under construction (2000-2011). In addition, triple rice cropping was practised in the protected flood control dyke systems in the upstream districts has higher average yields than those in the downstream districts (5.60 tons/ha compared to 5.40 tons/ha). The research shows a positive correlation between the increase in the area of flood control dyke system and the yield and production of triple rice cropping. The research results provide insights for researchers and policymakers in the region to adapt appropriate plans to minimize flood risks and ensure livelihood stability for farmers in the flood control dyke system in the upstream area, e.g. An Giang province, of the Mekong delta.