Tra Vinh Province Research Articles

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.

Indigenous Knowledge in Tourism Development: The Case of Hô River Island, Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

Abstract Climate change is affecting various aspects people’s lives in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, especially those who are living in the low-elevation terrain such as small river islands. Some studies revealed that indigenous knowledge can assist local people in mitigating the damage to agricultural production caused by climate change. Thus, this paper analyzes the application of indigenous knowledge of the people in Hô Island, Tra Vinh province in tourism development in the context of climate change. The qualitative approach was utilized in this paper including 35 semi-in-depth interviews and participant observations in 13 events. The results showed that indigenous knowledge not only greatly contributed to creating impressive tourism products and services but also formed secondary livelihoods aside from agriculture, which improved the living standards for the people in Hô Island. This research implies that there is a need for policies and training courses to raise general awareness of the adaptation of indigenous knowledge in economic development, and particularly, tourism development in vulnerable geographic areas (such as small river islands) in the context of climate change observed in the Mekong Delta.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of toxocariasis in Khmer adult people in Tra Vinh province, 2023

Toxocariasis remains a public health concern in communities, especially in tropical and developing countries. A cross - sectional study aimed to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of toxocariasis among the Khmer adult population. The study was conducted with a total of 760 participants across 30 communes in eight districts and cities of Tra Vinh Province in 2023 using a 30-cluster random sampling method. Fluorescent antibody technique was applied to detect IgG antibodies against Toxocara spp. The results indicated a seropositivity rate of 73%. The rate of toxocariasis was 48% (individuals exhibiting both clinical symptoms and seropositivity). The most common clinical manifestations were integumentary and mucosal, followed by neurological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory symptoms. The symptoms with the highest prevalence were pruritus and skin eruptions, headaches, and dizziness, with rates of 57.5%, 46.6%, and 43.6% respectively. Factors associated with a higher risk of toxocariasis infection identified included older age, female gender, lower educational level, occupations such as farming or being unemployed or having no stable job, poverty or near-poverty status, not owning dogs or cats, and living in rural areas. The prevalence toxocariasis among the Khmer adult people in Tra Vinh province is alarmingly high. It is related to the socioeconomic conditions of the people, thereby highlighting the need for enhanced health education and communication efforts within the community.

Environmental risk assessment of plastic waste from riverside traditional markets at Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

Abstract Traditional markets in Mekong Delta are usually located close to waterways such as rivers, streams, or channels. Although market’s waste is collected daily, a significant volume of them, including plastic waste was dumped to surrounding aquatic environments. In this study, a total of 20 composite solid waste samples from 10 riverside markets in coastal districts of Tra Vinh Province, were collected. In the laboratory, after the determination of the physical composition of market waste samples, the plastic waste was classified into seven common types including PET, HDPE, LDPE, PVC, PP, PS, and others. Then, five markets with the highest solid waste generation were selected to collect one sediment and three water samples along the beside waterways to analyse bisphenol A (BPA) contents. The results showed that plastic amount in solid waste samples inside markets ranged from 23.3% to 36.7%, while those along the waterways presented 26.7% to 43.3%. The highest amount of plastic type was PET, followed by PP, LDPE, PS, HDPE, and PVC. The highest BPA contents in both water and sediment samples right in front of the riverside market gates suggested the high risk for aquatic environment around the markets.

Evaluation of the characteristics of G1 genotypes in Tai Nguyen seasonal rice (Oryza sativa) in Tra Vinh province

Tai Nguyen variety is a local seasonal rice variety, grown in some districts in Tra Vinh province. This rice variety has delicious rice and is highly adaptable to acidic and saline soils in the Mekong delta. Phenotypic variation of agronomic characters was investigated to eliminate the genetic diversity of the Tai Nguyen populations. Forty G1 individuals with the same maturing day and uniform agro-morphological characteristics were selected for G2 generation at 3 locations as Chau Thanh, Tra Cu and Cau Ngang of Tra Vinh province. The agronomic indexes of 40 Tai Nguyen rice lines in the G1 crop reached the following average values such as culm length 128.8 cm, number of branches 40.5, leaf length 53.4 cm, leaf width 1.0 cm, number of panicles 34.8, panicle length 24.7 cm, total number of firm seeds 134.3, total number of seeds 170.7, grain length 8.4 mm, grain width 2.4 mm, dry weight 193.0 g, and weight of 1000 grain 22.9 g. The comparison results have selected the 13 best G1 lines to be used as raw materials for the G2 crop

Effect of Fertilizers on Growth, Yield and Quality of Embryo-cultured Sap Coconuts (Cocos nucifera var. sap)

Background: The study was carried out to assess how different fertilizers and their application cycles affected the development and productivity of coconut trees grown in embryos. Methods: The experiment was conducted in an entirely randomized manner with five treatments performed continuously for three years on sap coconut at 5-year-old embryo-cultured trees in Tra Vinh province, Vietnam. Result: It was observed that 7-year-old embryo-cultured sap coconuts did not change in size and girth. The number of newly formed leaves ranged from 24.7 to 25.3 leaves/tree/year. The average number of newly formed inflorescences ranged from 16.1 to 18.5 inflorescences/tree/year. Fertilizers and their application time did not affect the fruits/bunch on embryo-cultured sap coconut trees. Fertilization of embryo-cultured sap coconut trees over 5 years old with 118 N-42 P2O5-54 K2O once a month recorded 72.3-93 fruits/tree/year and 7-year-old embryo-cultured sap coconuts recorded wax fruits/bunch ratio of 94-96%.

The awareness and behaviour’s farmer towards highly pathogenic avian influenza prevention in Tra Vinh, Vietnam

Disease outbreaks are partly the direct result of the expansion of poultry flocks. To understand farmers’ behaviours, their awareness of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the study was con ducted. A total of 150 farms in three districts of Tra Vinh Province were included. Purposive sampling was used to choose respondents who have at least 20 poultry heads and a three-year operation. Descrip tive and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze data. The findings indicated that most farm ers (65.3%) were males with an average age of 50 years. Farmers received < $100/month from poultry production. The farm scale of poultry business was less than 100 heads per farmer, and birds were reared traditionally, using by-products, floor feeding, and no automatic watering systems. Selling broil ers dominated, whereas egg sales were uncommon and were generally reserved for domestic use. In addition, farmers were aware of HPAI prevention (>90% were, poor knowledge that was not validat ed). Additionally, farmers' awareness significantly increased by the enhancement in education, training, income, and full-time employment at poultry farms. It can be concluded that the small-scale poultry farming employs traditional practices with a keen awareness of infectious diseases. However, to raise farmers' awareness, strategies should concentrate on profession, education, training, and income.

Shoreline evolution in adjacent to a coastal structure in Hiep Thanh commune, Duyen Hai district, Tra Vinh province

Coastal erosion is significant along the coastline in Hiep Thanh commune, Duyen Hai district, Tra Vinh province, Viet Nam. In order to address this severe coastal erosion, the local community has constructed a concrete embankment as an emergency solution to protect the coastline. However, this solution exacerbates the issue since the fundamental processes of coastal erosion remain inadequately explored and understood. Specifically, in beach sections without the concrete embankment, erosion still occurs. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the shoreline changes adjacent to the embankment using an integrated approach with remote sensing and diffusion theory. The results show that beach erosion is occurring near the embankment at a rate of 44 meters per year, and the diffusion coefficient for longshore sand transport in the study area is 130 square meters per day. This study offers a practical approach to examining changes in the shoreline adjacent to a coastal structure, particularly valuable in situations where there is a scarcity of measured field data.

Thực trạng và một số yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến công tác quản lý trang thiết bị y tế tại khoa hồi sức tích cực – chống độc của bệnh viện đa khoa tỉnh Trà Vinh năm 2020

Objectives: This study has two objectives, as follows: to describe the management situation. Medical devices and some factors affecting medical devices management in hospitals in Tra Vinh province, 2020. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire among 25 staffs directly managing medical devices and 124 medical devices records. Qualitative data was collected from four in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions. Main findings: Medical devices invested by the hospital (59.7%), low frequency of use of medical devices accounted for 0%, and unused equipment accounted for 0%. Dossiers of incomplete equipment, mainly lack of operational logs and documents for maintenances and repairs; medical devices with qualified certificates accounted for 100%; all equipments are built using procedures and operating procedures; but inspections and verifications are only carried out periodically and incompletely; post-repair inspections have not been carried out, equipment maintenance costs still remains low. However, maintenance budget constraints were observed, and the information system and maintenance work did not fully meet requirements due to various reasons, primarily financial issues. Hospital chairmans identified financial concerns as a key issue and planned to solve them in the near future to utilize the quality of medical devices according to regulations. Key words: Medical devices, influenced factor, Tra Vinh province hospital.

Optimization of Countermeasures to Stable and Protect Navigation Channels in Dinh An Estuary and Coastal of Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

Optimization of Countermeasures to Stable and Protect Navigation Channels in Dinh An Estuary and Coastal of Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

The effect of breeds and rearing system on laying performance and egg quality of local chickens

The study was to identify the reproductive performance of Vietnamese local chickens, named Noi chickens from 36 - 46 weeks of age. The study aimed to determine the effect of breeds and rearing system on laying performance and egg quality of local chickens. The study was a factorial design with 2x2 factors and involved with 120 layers. The first factor was 2 rearing systems (experimental free-range farming system in Tra Vinh province and local free-range farming system in Ben Tre province). The second factor was 2 breeds (egg and broiler purpose). The results showed that egg production rate, laying egg per week were significantly different between breeds and rearing systems (P<0.05) while feed intake was not different. The highest egg production rate recorded at week 44 with 38.42%. For egg quality, yolk diameter, yolk color and yolk index were different breeds and rearing system. It can be recommended that rearing system in Ben Tre province and egg purpose breed was better for egg production and quality.

Understanding groundwater use and vulnerability of rural communities in the Mekong Delta: The case of Tra Vinh province, Vietnam

Groundwater has been increasingly used for water supply to sustain local livelihood and socio-economic development in the Vietnam Mekong Delta (VMD). Yet, intensive groundwater use raises concerns on sustainability as available fresh groundwater is finite with little or limited natural recharge in the area on one hand and, on the other hand, groundwater levels have been decreasing, with induced land subsistence, increased flooding and inundation, and exacerbated salinity intrusion. This study aimed to develop understanding of groundwater use and vulnerability of rural communities in the VMD. It was motivated by both the significance and little knowledge of decentralized groundwater use of small capacity by rural communities that is not monitored and managed. In this study, we designed and conducted a structured survey in selected rural communities to collect information related to water supply and groundwater use for domestic purposes and agriculture. Combining survey data and information from different sources, our analysis found that: 1) groundwater plays a varying role in domestic water use, with a heterogeneous pattern consistent with the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity; 2) local dependence on groundwater increases spatially from inland towards coastal areas; 3) poor households in coastal areas are of high vulnerability to groundwater limitations imposed by salinity or resource depletion for domestic use; 4) groundwater use in agriculture appears to be complementary to available fresh surface water, non-essential while exhibiting a spatial pattern corresponding to groundwater salinity or availability; and 5) there is indication of groundwater depletion associated with groundwater use in agriculture. The study revealed locally developed water use behavior adapting to local water conditions and wealth level, with fresh groundwater being of strategic importance, particularly to domestic water use and poor households in coastal areas. The findings fill the knowledge gap in the literature while providing relevant information for welfare improving management decision making on groundwater in the VMD.

The Intention to Participate in Voluntary Social Insurance of Informal Sector Workers: the Case in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop the participation of informal sector workers in voluntary social insurance to ensure the Social Security policy of the Government of Vietnam. Theoretical Framework: Based on the results compiled from expert as: Kotler, 2003; Schiffman and Kanuk, 2007; Ming-Chi Lee, 2009; Holmgren et al., 2016 and Krajaechun and Praditbatuga, 2019. The model was preliminarily designed by the author through eight prefix variables including: Confidence in Benefits, Evaluation of Social Responses, Perception of risks, Beliefs, Motivation, Attitude towards Voluntary social insurance, Subjective norms, and Intention to participate in Voluntary social insurance. Methodology: This study employs primary data from a survey of 370 people working in informal workers in 04 province of the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam: Kien Giang Province, Tra Vinh Province, Hau Giang Province and Soc Trang Province. The Authors using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Bootstrap analysis in the SEM reliability test employed for data analysis and interpretation. Findings: Research results show that two factors that affect the intention to participate in voluntary social insurance of workers in the informal sector: Attitude towards social insurance and subjective norms. Solutions: From the research results, the authors have proposed solutions to further improve the participation in voluntary social insurance of workers in the informal sector in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam in future.

The Intention to Participate in Voluntary Social Insurance of Informal Sector Workers: the Case in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop the participation of informal sector workers in voluntary social insurance to ensure the Social Security policy of the Government of Vietnam. Theoretical Framework: Based on the results compiled from expert as: Kotler, 2003; Schiffman and Kanuk, 2007; Ming-Chi Lee, 2009; Holmgren et al., 2016 and Krajaechun and Praditbatuga, 2019. The model was preliminarily designed by the author through eight prefix variables including: Confidence in Benefits, Evaluation of Social Responses, Perception of risks, Beliefs, Motivation, Attitude towards Voluntary social insurance, Subjective norms, and Intention to participate in Voluntary social insurance. Methodology: This study employs primary data from a survey of 370 people working in informal workers in 04 province of the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam: Kien Giang Province, Tra Vinh Province, Hau Giang Province and Soc Trang Province. The Authors using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Bootstrap analysis in the SEM reliability test employed for data analysis and interpretation. Findings: Research results show that two factors that affect the intention to participate in voluntary social insurance of workers in the informal sector: Attitude towards social insurance and subjective norms. Solutions: From the research results, the authors have proposed solutions to further improve the participation in voluntary social insurance of workers in the informal sector in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam in future.

Emission inventory and simulation of air pollution for developing an air quality management plan for Tra Vinh Province (Vietnam) period 2022-2025

Tra Vinh is a coastal province in the Mekong Delta region. In recent years, increasing economic and social development activities have been creating great pressure on the air environment in the province. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop a provincial air quality management plan to provide solutions to manage and control air pollution in the province. The study conducted an emissions inventory from three main sources (mobile, point and area sources) by using the emission factor method. Emission inventory results show that point source emission is dominated by NO2 (64.4%) and SO2 (92.7%). Meanwhile, the main pollutant of traffic source is CO (69.0%) and area source are TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 (59.1%, 72.5% and 71.1% respectively). Emission inventory data is used as input data for air quality simulation study (FVM-TAPOM model) according to the current scenario in 2022. In addition, the study also builds scenarios pollution emissions based on Tra Vinh's socio-economic development planning to 2025. The simulation results show that the air quality in Tra Vinh province is still good, the simulated parameters values lower than the threshold according to QCVN 05:2023/BTNMT. On that basis, the study has developed solutions to control air environment quality in the coming time, contributing to sustainable development for the locality and the Mekong Delta region.

Factors affecting highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccination practices at poultry farms in Tra Vinh, Vietnam.

The increased number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as a zoonosis has raised concerns in terms of poultry and human health. Farmers' preventive practices are an effective way of reducing zoonosis. However, this practice may have been affected by many factors, including production behaviors, awareness, and farmers' perceptions of farmers toward zoonosis. This study was conducted on 166 poultry farms in Tra Vinh Province with 14,894 poultry heads to determine the socioeconomic profiles and production characteristics of poultry farms and analyze the effect of these factors on HPAI vaccination practices. Respondents were selected from lists provided by government officers. Descriptive statistics were used to describe all variables, and factors affecting HPAI vaccination practices were analyzed using binary regression analysis. The results showed that most farmers raised poultry with other livestock using the free-range method, which is a semi-intensive system. The primary objectives of poultry farming are meat sales and augmenting household consumption, with farmers primarily raising chicks produced on their farms. The implementation of the vaccine was less than 50% on the surveyed farms, with a small number of farmers administering an HPAI booster dose. However, only 6% of the farmers confirmed that their livestock had been exposed to HPAI. In addition, HPAI vaccination and booster dose practices significantly increased when farmers had 4-6 family members and received HPAI prevention training. Moreover, increased poultry numbers have led to increased vaccination rates and the implementation of booster doses for poultry. The study also reported that the vaccination rate decreased when poultry was used for household consumption. Sociodemographic characteristics and production behaviors can affect the implementation of HPAI vaccination on small poultry farms.

Characterization and molecular identification of the lumpy skin disease virus in cattle in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is caused by a virus belonging to the genus Capripoxvirus, exhibiting clinical symptoms ranging from mild signs to the development of nodules. LSD emerged in Asia and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, in October 2020 and has since spread throughout the region, resulting in productivity and economic losses. This study aimed to investigate the virus-causing papular dermatitis in cattle from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam by analyzing its GPCR gene and assessing its evolutionary relationship with sequences in the GenBank database. Blood samples (n = 180) were collected from cattle farms in Ben Tre, Tien Giang, and Tra Vinh provinces. PCR targeting the P32 antigen gene was utilized to detect LSDV presence, and GPCR gene amplification was performed to assess genetic variability. LSDV was detected in 8.33% (15/180) of the samples using PCR targeting the P32 antigen gene. Each sample that tested positive for LSDV demonstrated complete amplification of the GPCR gene. Sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses of the GPCR gene revealed that Mekong Delta LSDV isolates shared genetic similarities and possessed a 12-nucleotide insertion comparable to strains from China in 2019 and Northern Vietnam in 2020. This study provides preliminary insights into the molecular characteristics of LSDV in cattle from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. The observed genetic relatedness to other LSDV sequences from Asia and Southeast Asia underscores the importance of regional surveillance and control measures. These findings contribute to the development of effective strategies for LSDV control and prevention.

The survey on the circulation of Marek’s disease virus in local chickens in Tra Vinh province, Vietnam

The study was conducted to determine the circulation of Marek’s disease virus in local chickens in Tra Vinh province. A total of 343 feather follicle samples were collected from 49 unvaccinated chicken flocks for Marek disease in Tra Vinh City, Cang Long, Tra Cu, and Tieu Can districts. The samples were tested by polymerase chain reaction to detect specific meq gene of Marek’s disease virus serotype 1 (MDV-1). Information on hygiene and vaccination programs was also collected. The results showed that 45 out of 343 samples were positive for MDV-1, accounting for 13.12%. The prevalent MDV-1 in chickens in Cang Long was 17.85%, followed by Tra Vinh City (15.38%). The same prevalence of MDV-1 (9.52%) was recorded in chickens in the Tieu Can and Tra Cu districts. The differences in the prevalence of MDV-1 in chickens among surveyed sites were not statistically significant (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of MDV-1 by chicken breeds. The prevalence of MDV-1 in chickens from 3 to 6 months old was highest at 34.04%, followed by chickens from 1 to less than 3 months old (11.06%) and older 6 months of age (5.71%). The risk of MDV -1 infection in vaccinated chickens against Avian influenza, Newcastle disease and Gumboro disease was lower than that of unvaccinated chickens (OR=0.277, P=0.044). The combination of sanitation and disinfection decreased the risk of MDV-1 infection in chickens (OR=0.502;P=0.031).

Ambiguities in implementing regulations for sustainable groundwater resources development in Vietnam with a case study of Tra Vinh province in Mekong Delta

Study regionThe study region is the coastal Tra Vinh province located in Mekong Delta, Vietnam Study focusThe study aims to clarify the ambiguities in implementing Vietnam's regulation on restrictions of groundwater abstraction in Mekong Delta. Three ambiguities were identified, namely, how should half of the saturated thickness of the unconfined aquifer be computed; is the water level depth of 30 m for the confined aquifer sufficient to prevent seawater intrusion and land subsidence; and why is the interference of water use rights of neighbouring provinces not considered. Numerical groundwater flow, saltwater transport and land subsidence were constructed for Tra Vinh province to assess water level requirements from Vietnam regulation and important constraints for groundwater sustainability. The model results show that although all scenarios satisfy groundwater level requirements from the Vietnam regulation, only the mitigation scenario combined with reducing abstraction and increasing recharge can lead to sustainable development. New hydrological insights for the regionThe current groundwater abstraction in Tra Vinh province has caused groundwater storage depletion and induced seawater intrusion, land subsidence, and captured groundwater inflow from neighbouring provinces. When the business as usual continues, seawater may intrude 4–5 km inland and cumulative land subsidence may reach 1.5 m by 2100. Reduction of current abstraction by 50% supplemented with the increase of recharge by 1.5 times in the dunes can lead to sustainable development.

Evaluating topsoil salinity via geophysical methods in rice production systems in the Vietnam Mekong Delta

AbstractThe Vietnam Mekong Delta (VMD) is threatened by increasing saltwater intrusion due to diminishing freshwater availability, land subsidence, and climate change induced sea level rise. Through irrigation, saltwater can accumulate in the rice fields and decrease rice production. The study aims at evaluating topsoil salinity and examining a potential link between topsoil salinity and rice production systems in a case study in the Tra Vinh province of the VMD. For this, we applied two geophysical methods, namely, 3D electrical resistivity tomography (ARES II) and electromagnetic induction (EM38‐MK2). 3D ARES II measurements with different electrode spacings were compared with EM38‐MK2 topsoil measurements to evaluate their respective potential for monitoring topsoil salinity on an agricultural scale and the relationship between land‐use types and topsoil salinity. Results show that EM38‐MK2 is a rapid and powerful tool for obtaining high‐resolution topsoil salinity maps for rice fields. With ARES II data, 3D maps up to 40 m depth can be created, but compared with EM38‐MK2 topsoil maps, topsoil salinity was underestimated due to limitations in resolution. Salt contamination of above 300 mS m−1 was found in some double‐cropped rice fields, whereas in triple‐cropped rice fields salinity was below 200 mS m−1. Results clearly show a relation between topsoil salinity and proximity to the saline water sources; however, a clear link between rice production and topsoil salinity could not be established. The study proved that geophysical methods are useful tools for assessing and monitoring topsoil salinity at agricultural fields scale in the VMD.