Mekong Delta Research Articles

Bridging the Gap: Unveiling the Factors of Government Support Influencing the Success of Vietnamese Agricultural SMEs Post-COVID-19

This study investigates the essential role of government aid in enhancing the resilience and success of small and medium-sized agricultural firms in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research fills a gap in the existing literature by concentrating on strategies for long-term recovery rather than immediate reactions. Using a structured survey and multivariate linear regression analysis, the study engaged 200 proprietors and executives from the Red River and Mekong Delta areas. The results exhibit a favorable association between governmental support and the success of small and medium-sized enterprises, emphasizing the necessity of tailored governmental interventions to enhance sector competitiveness. While offering valuable insights for policymakers, the study’s geographical and sectoral scope is restricted, indicating the need for more extensive research and qualitative evaluations to deepen comprehension of the effects of governmental support in diverse settings. This research has the potential to significantly influence policy formulation and further scholarly investigation in the economic landscape post-pandemic.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE BUSINESS EFFICIENCY OF CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES OPERATING IN MEKONG DELTA REGION

This study aims to analyze factors influencing construction enterprises' business efficiency in the Mekong Delta region. The research data comprises 100 enterprises operating in provinces such as Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and Can Tho City. The multiple regression method is used to test the correlation between factors. Estimated results show that factors influencing the business efficiency of construction enterprises in the Mekong Delta region include the educational level of business owners, management experience, and type of enterprise. Among these, the management experience of business owners is the strongest factor impacting the business efficiency of construction enterprises in the Mekong Delta region.

Integrated environmental and social assessment of alum-contaminated water in An Giang province

ABSTRACT This study investigates alum-contaminated water in An Giang province within the Mekong Delta, emphasizing methodological approaches to assess its distribution and impacts. The research conducted from March to May 2021 involved surveys of residents, public sector employees, and provincial managers, complemented by expert interviews and extensive fieldwork. Surface water samples were collected during both rainy and dry seasons across three districts, with parameters such as turbidity, pH, and temperature measured onsite, and aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu) concentrations analyzed in the laboratory using atomic absorption spectrometry. The data were further processed using QGIS software to create comprehensive maps illustrating seasonal variations in water quality. The findings revealed significant spatial and temporal variations in water quality, with pH levels fluctuating markedly between the dry and rainy seasons. Household surveys indicated a lack of awareness regarding effective water treatment methods, with most respondents relying on local authorities for solutions. The study highlights the need for community education and participation in addressing alum contamination, offering insights into the environmental and public health implications of water quality in the region. This research contributes valuable knowledge to the ongoing efforts in environmental conservation and water quality management in the Mekong Delta.

The impact of institutional environment factors on foreign direct investment in provinces located in the Mekong delta region

The primary aim of this study is to explore the influence of institutional environmental factors on foreign direct investment (FDI) within the provinces of Vietnam's Mekong Delta region over the period from 2010 to 2022. The fixed-effect model (FEM) and random-effect model (REM) are used for estimating the impacts of the institutional environment's elements on the FDI of Vietnam's provinces. The Hausman’s test is applied to help determine a suitable and reliable model to perform analyses and discuss the empirical results. The research results indicate that institutional environment factors have a significant impact on FDI inflows in the provinces. Specifically, enterprise support and the number of FDI projects foster the FDI inflows in the provinces of Mekong Delta region. Furthermore, factors such as cost of market entry, information transparency, informal costs, the dynamics of the leaders at the provincial level, the level of labor training, and legal institutions do not significantly influence the FDI inflows into the provinces. Based on these findings, the main policy implications, including improving enterprise support and increasing the number of FDI projects to attract more FDI inflows to the provinces in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, have also been proposed.

Improved phenology-based rice mapping algorithm by integrating optical and radar data

Information on rice planting areas is critically important for food and water security, as well as for adapting to climate change. Mapping rice globally remains challenging due to the diverse climatic conditions and various rice cropping systems worldwide. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, which is immune to climatic conditions, plays a vital role in rice mapping in cloudy, rainy, low-latitude regions but it suffers from commission errors in high-latitude regions. Conversely, optical data performs well in high-latitude regions due to its high observation frequency and less cloud contamination but faces significant omission errors in low-latitude regions. An effective integrated method that combines both data types is key to global rice mapping. Here, we propose a novel adaptive rice mapping framework named Rice-Sentinel that combines Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data. First, we extracted key phenological phases of rice (e.g., the flooding and transplanting phase and the rapid growth phase), by analyzing the characteristic V-shaped changes in the Sentinel-1 VH curve. Second, we identified potential flooding signals in rice pixels by integrating the VH time series from Sentinel-1 with the Land Surface Water Index (LSWI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from Sentinel-2, utilizing the generated phenology phases. Third, the rapid growth signals of rice following its flooding phase were identified using Sentinel-2 data. Finally, rice fields were identified by integrating flooding and rapid growth signals. The resultant rice maps in six different case regions of the world (Northeast and South China, California, USA, Mekong Delta of Vietnam, Sakata City in Japan, and Mali in Africa) showed overall accuracies over 90 % and F1 scores over 0.91, outperforming the existing methods and products. This algorithm combines the strengths of both optical and SAR time series data and leverages biophysical principles to generate robust rice maps without relying on any prior ground truth samples. It is well-positioned for global applications and is expected to contribute to global rice monitoring efforts.

Integrating climate change education in higher education: insights from lecturers and students across disciplines in the Mekong Delta

This article examines the integration of climate change education (CCE) within the curricula of agriculture, biology education, and environmental studies majors at a university in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The study employs a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews and focus groups with lecturers and students to explore their perceptions and experiences. The findings reveal diverse pedagogical strategies, such as hands-on experiences and interdisciplinary projects, but highlight significant challenges including rigid curricula, resource constraints, and limited interdisciplinary collaboration. Students expressed a need for more mandatory and practically oriented CCE, emphasizing the relevance to their local environment. The discussion contextualizes these findings within international perspectives, comparing them to global trends and highlighting the necessity for curriculum transformation to address the identified challenges. The article concludes by advocating for a more integrated and flexible curriculum that leverages digital platforms and community engagement to better prepare students for the multifaceted challenges of climate change.

Impact Of Corporate Social Responsibility Awareness, The Intermediate Role of Organizational Trust on Employee Work Performance: A Study at Pesticide Production Enterprises in The Mekong Delta

This article is completed from research at enterprises operating in the field of plant protection products in the Mekong Delta - Vietnam, the purpose of the research is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility awareness (PCSR) on employee performance (EWR), perceived task orientation (IRTP), organizational citizenship behavior at the individual level (OCB-I) and the organizational level (OCB-O), through the mediating role of organizational trust (OT), the moderating role of organizational reputation (OR). Through pilot testing of 100 samples and official quantitative survey of 385 samples to test Cronbach's Alpha coefficients, EFA, CFA and SEM structural model using SPSS, AMOS Version 4.2. The results show that: PCSR has a positive impact on EWR with OT as the intermediary. There is a moderating effect of OR on the relationship between PCSR and OT. The obtained coefficient values answered the hypotheses H1; H2a; H2b; H2c; H3; H4; H5; H6 respectively 0.687; 0.374; 0.606; 0.602; 0.229; 0.153; 0.159; 0.185. The results of the research model help business managers have more insight into the impact of corporate social responsibility awareness with the mediating role of organizational trust on employee work performance. Thereby, helping business leaders make appropriate adjustments to meet the desired goals of the business. The research is still limited in space and sample size.

Impacts of aquaculture practices on the sustainability of social-ecological systems in coastal zones of the Mekong Delta

Coastal and deltaic regions face increasing natural and human-induced hazards, such as cyclones, storm surges, erosion, and saline intrusion, exacerbated by climate change. In tropical zones, mangrove ecosystems provide vital protection against these threats, yet the conversion of mangroves to shrimp aquaculture undermines these benefits, even in protected areas.The Mekong Delta in Vietnam, historically rich in biodiversity and diverse habitats like mangroves and mudflats, has seen local communities thrive. However, rising global market demands have led to more intensive aquaculture models, posing new risks.This research examines the impact of shrimp farming models, from extensive to hyper-intensive, under multiple natural hazards and transformative processes like land conversion and mangrove restoration. Using risk assessment tools and data from local community interviews and focus groups, we present a model showcasing the influence of aquaculture on socio-ecological systems.Key findings reveal the interplay between livelihoods and landscape conversion, highlighting the risks and benefits of various shrimp farming models. The study stresses the need for stakeholder collaboration and improved wastewater treatment to enhance sustainability and environmental health in the Mekong Delta.

Characteristics and Treatment Outcome of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Mekong Delta, Vietnam: A 5-Year Retrospective Study

Background Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a critical and potentially fatal complication resulting from a lack of insulin, presents with elevated blood sugar, acid-base imbalance, and increased ketone bodies. Objectives Our research was designed to assess the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and outcomes of treatment in children diagnosed with DKA over a span of five years in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. Methods This study retrospectively analyzed pediatric cases of diabetic ketoacidosis treated at a major pediatric center in the Mekong Delta between 2017 and 2021. Results Diabetic ketoacidosis was more common in older children aged 11 – 16 years (66.7%), and females (70%). The majority of cases had not been diagnosed with previous diabetes (60%) and no history of diabetic ketoacidosis (90%). In univariate analysis, female gender (OR, 13.0; 95% CI, 1.4 – 124.3; p=0.026), previous diabetes diagnosis (OR, 7.8; 95% CI, 1.5 – 41.2; p=0.016), precipitating factors (OR, 10.1; 95% CI, 1.1 – 97.0; p=0.045), tachypnea (OR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.1 – 26.4; p=0.033), Kussmaul breathing (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.1 – 26.0; p=0.036), serum potassium level (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.2 – 10.4; p=0.027), and anion gap (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.8 – 2.3; p=0.003) were associated factors with severe DKA. All cases in our study had a 100% survival rate. Anion gap was an independent factor associated with severe diabetic ketoacidosis after adjustment multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Female, younger age, precipitating factors, tachypnea, Kussmaul’s breathing, and relevant laboratory findings, including increased anion gap, should be considered to ensure successful management in pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 23 No. 04 October’24 Page : 1112-1119

Determinants of crop insurance participation of farming households in Mekong River Delta, Vietnam in climate change context

Abstract Agricultural insurance has been implemented in many countries around the world to reduce risks for farming households. In Vietnam, agriculture is the most important industry but is heavily affected by natural disasters and climate change. This study aimed at assessing farmers’ awareness of climate change and analyzing factors affecting agricultural insurance participation of farmers in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The research applied utility theory to build empirical model. We collected primary data from a survey of 400 farming households in Tra Vinh province. Households were selected stratifiedly in 4 coastal districts and then drawn randomly from household lists of communes. The research results showed that the majority of people were aware of climate change trends locally and its impacts on agricultural production. Logit regression model indicated that there were 8 main factors affecting household’s participation in crop insurance including age, gender, farming experience, education level, access to insurance information, civic organization membership, fund borrowing and household size, of which access to insurance information had strongest impact. The study proposed some specific management implications including (i) raising farmer awareness about agricultural insurance through official information channels such as television, radio, as well as informal information through social networks; (ii) strengthen the role of local civic organizations, especially extension services in disseminating information and supporting insurance purchasing activities for farmer households and; (iii) support farmers in part with insurance fees or allow access to small credit from State programs to enhance the participation of agricultural insurance.

Interregional watershed services: Valuation of the benefits of controlled embankment breaches to manage urban flood risk

The Lower Mekong delta of Vietnam, particularly Can Tho city, is highly susceptible to flooding which urgently calls for significant efforts to mitigate urban flood risks. A possible measure to reduce flood risk is the application of controlled embankment breaches (CEB) in a rural province upstream. Utilising a Protection Motivation Theory approach, this paper uses a contingent valuation to assess the welfare effects of a reduction of flood risks in the city resulting from CEB in the upstream region of the delta. The findings revealed that households residing in the downstream areas of Vietnamese Mekong Delta were willing to financially support the implementation of the CEB upstream in An Giang city, as a measure to alleviate urban flood threats in Can Tho city. These results suggest that interregional cooperation, involving the concept of payments for watershed services between regional jurisdictions, may help to effectively mitigate flood risk in a low-lying population centre in a major river delta. As such, these findings can inform policies for urban flood risk mitigation regarding the development of a more comprehensive flood risk reduction strategy in similar geographical contexts.

Hydrate technology for water desalination in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Freshwater scarcity is a critical issue in Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong Delta, a densely populated region with an agriculture-based economy. This scarcity is largely driven by saltwater intrusion during the dry season, severely affecting both agriculture and the local economy. In response, advanced desalination technologies have been proposed. In this study, we investigated the use of cyclopentane (CP), a liquid guest molecule, and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a), a gaseous guest molecule, as hydrate formers to desalinate saline water from the Mekong Delta. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the freshwater recovery efficiencies of these hydrate formers and assess the potential of hydrate technology for practical application in the region. We performed thermodynamic and kinetic investigations on sodium chloride solutions (1.0–3.5 wt%), representing the salinity levels of seawater in the Mekong Delta, to establish a laboratory-scale desalination system. The results showed a consistent thermodynamic trend: the higher concentration of samples leads to the longer time of hydrate formation to achieve the conversion of water into hydrates exceeding 60 %. Additionally, the CP and R134a hydrate structures were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, which revealed significant changes in the water peak and C–H band signal during the hydrate formation process. After a single-stage hydrate treatment using CP and R134a, the removal efficiencies for ions and total dissolved solids in saline water samples from the Mekong Delta exceeded 75 % and 70 %, respectively. These findings serve as a reference for developing a larger-scale hydrate-based desalination technology to address the challenges of saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta region.

Ovarian traits, spawning pattern and season, length at first maturity, and batch fecundity of Caragobius urolepis (Bleeker, 1852) caught from the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Caragobius urolepis has a wide range of distribution, from brackish to freshwater water, ranging from India to the Philippines and Fiji, including the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), where it lives mainly in the coastal regions and plays a vital role in food supply. Our preliminary observation showed that its population tended to decline, but little is known about this species. This study, therefore, was conducted to provide data on the ovarian structure, spawning pattern and season, length at first maturity, and batch fecundity of this fish. The study of 306 specimens caught with trawl nets from April 2022 to March 2023 in two coastal areas of VMD—Dong Hai, Bac Lieu (DHBL), and Dam Doi, Ca Mau (DDCM)—showed that this goby spawned more than once because the oocytes in stage IV ovary showed different stages of development. It could release eggs monthly during a 12-month study, with a peak in July–September since stage IV ovaries were found monthly during the study period and the GSI exhibited a high value in July–September. The fish length at first maturity and batch fecundity varied with the site, as they were 18.8 cm and 3,757–9,187 (6,142 ± 707 SE eggs/female) in DDCM and 20.5 cm and 3,760–11,118 (5,634 ± 750 SE eggs/female) in DHBL. The findings provide valuable foundations for exploiting their resources and serve as a basis for studying artificial reproduction. It is suggested to avoid catching these fish species during the breeding season to ensure sustainable exploitation in the future.

Climate Change Induced Saltwater Intrusion and Migration Intentions in the Mekong Delta

Climate Change Induced Saltwater Intrusion and Migration Intentions in the Mekong Delta

The Influence of the PERMA Model on EMP Students’ English Speaking Performance

Despite gaining great concerns in English language teaching (ELT), students’ wellbeing and the role of the Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning in life and Accomplishment (PERMA) model has not been thoroughly explored in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and especially English for Medical Purposes (EMP). In Vietnam, the PERMA model has also been understudied, especially in ELT. These gaps trigger this study to examine the increased importance of student wellbeing in academic settings, with a particular focus on English learning and speaking performance. Conducted at a university of Medicine and Pharmacy in the Mekong Delta, the mixed-methods research involved 675 students who completed a questionnaire via Google Forms and five volunteers who attended face-to-face interviews to provide triangulated data. The sampling technique and data analysis methods used in the study included the convenience sampling technique, the Descriptive analysis of the SPSS version 22, and the thematic analysis. The results show that the PERMA model has a moderate to high impact on EMP students’ speaking performance. The aspects of the PERMA model were ranked in order of influence as follows: Accomplishment, Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, and Meaning in life. Based on these findings, it is recommended that EMP lecturers and ELT teachers integrate this model into their teaching methods for English speaking. These findings will inform the development of PERMA-based learning activities in future EMP English speaking lessons, supporting a larger ongoing project. Recommendations for further studies and related stakeholders were also made.

Overcoming a stumbling block: Challenges of English-medium instruction for Vietnamese tertiary Students

English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is a growing global phenomenon, and non-native English-speaking (NNES) countries have increasingly adopted EMI courses in higher education over the past few decades in response to the momentum of globalization and internationalization. However, implementing EMI initiatives in Vietnam has faced numerous challenges and constraints. While there has been extensive research on the difficulties faced by content teachers in EMI classrooms, there is a lack of scholarly inquiry into the challenges students encounter in EMI programs in Vietnam. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the challenges faced by university students in EMI classrooms. The study used a mixed-methods research approach, gathering quantitative and qualitative data through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, respectively. The participants were 120 students enrolled in EMI programs at a public university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The results revealed that students faced significant challenges in their EMI learning course. Precisely, they needed help comprehending course materials, understanding lectures, taking examinations, and participating in classroom discussions. Based on the results of the study, practical implications were discussed to enhance the effectiveness of EMI programs in higher education contexts.

Enhanced Monitoring of Sub-Seasonal Land Use Dynamics in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta through Quantile Mapping and Harmonic Regression

In response to economic and environmental challenges like sea-level rise, salinity intrusion, groundwater extraction, sand mining, and sinking delta phenomena, the demand for solutions to adapt to changing conditions in riverine environments has increased significantly. High-quality analyses of land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics play a critical role in addressing these challenges. This study introduces a novel high-spatial resolution satellite-based approach to identify sub-seasonal LULC dynamics in the Mekong River Delta (MRD), employing a three-year (2021–2023) Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite data time series. The primary obstacle is discerning detailed vegetation dynamics, particularly the seasonality of rice crops, answered through quantile mapping, harmonic regression with Fourier transform, and phenological metrics as inputs to a random forest machine learning classifier. Due to the substantial data volume, Google’s cloud computing platform Earth Engine was utilized for the analysis. Furthermore, the study evaluated the relative significance of various input features. The overall accuracy of the classification is 82.6% with a kappa statistic of 0.81, determined using comprehensive reference data collected in Vietnam. While the purely pixel-based approach has limitations, it proves to be a viable method for high-spatial resolution satellite image time series classification of the MRD.

Teleconnections between Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies and the Southern Oscillation Index in the Pacific and Indian Oceans on Drought Events in the Mekong Delta

Teleconnections between Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies and the Southern Oscillation Index in the Pacific and Indian Oceans on Drought Events in the Mekong Delta

Bacterial Culture Results and Antibiograms in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Background The inappropriate use of antibiotics for chronic rhinosinusitis, exceeding established guidelines, is a growing concern in Vietnam. This practice is contributing to the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the results of culture and antibiogram of bacteria on patients in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, who were treated for chronic rhinosinusitis in 2022-2023. Methods It is a cross-sectional study, including 113 patients who came for treatment with a diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Mekong Delta, Vietnam, from 2022-2023. The bacterial cultures were identified, and their antibiograms were performed in the Microbiology laboratory of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 20.0. Results The rate of bacterial growth was 97.35%. The cultured bacterial composition had 8 genera, 22 species, and 116 samples, of which 2 bacterial species were cultured, accounting for 5.45%. Antibiogram showed that Streptococcus pneumonia was resistant to cefaclor (83.33%), cefuroxime (100%), trimethoprim+ sulfamethoxazole (100%), and susceptible to chloramphenicol (100%) and vancomycin (100%). Streptococcus haemolyticus was resistant to amoxicillin+clavulanic acid (85.71%) and ampicillin (100%) and susceptible to linezolid (100%) and rifampin (100%). Streptococcus epidermidis was resistant to amoxicillin+clavulanic acid (82.35%), ampicillin (100%), penicillin (100%) and susceptible to linezolid (91.18%) and rifampin (88.24%). Streptococcus aureus was resistant to amoxicillin+clavulanic acid (95%) and ampicillin+sulbactam (90%), and susceptible to linezolid (90%) and synercid (95%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to amikacin (100%), meropenem (100%) and tobramycin (90%). Conclusion This study offers some useful information to doctors in the Mekong Delta and across Vietnam. It can be used as a good orientation in choosing the most appropriate antibiotics for treating patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. It is important to be conscious of the current trend of the bacteriological profiles and to regulate the antibiotic treatment regime to improve the effectiveness and reduce antibiotic resistance rate.

Harnessing a systems approach for sustainable adaptation in vulnerable mega-deltas: A case study of the dyke heightening program in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta's floodplains

Harnessing a systems approach for sustainable adaptation in vulnerable mega-deltas: A case study of the dyke heightening program in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta's floodplains