An Investigation of the Role of Social Dynamics in Conversion to Sustainable Integrated Mangrove‐Shrimp Farming in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam

Abstract

In the coastal area of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, much of the mangrove forest has been cut to make space for expansion of industry and aquaculture. Export‐oriented shrimp farming is a particularly fast‐growing business. Nonetheless, the importance of tropical mangrove forest ecosystems for coastal protection and marine biodiversity is widely recognized. The Vietnamese government, supported by non‐governmental organizations and donors, has sought to restore mangrove forest. To this end, the government has promoted mixed or integrated mangrove‐shrimp systems in which farmers maintain at least 40 per cent of their area under mangrove cover. Since 2012, mangrove reforestation, care and protection has benefited from local authority stimulus as well. Multiple studies have examined the condition of the mangrove forest in Ben Tre and other coastal provinces of the Mekong Delta. However, no research has investigated the role of social dynamics in farmers’ willingness to shift to, or maintain, integrated mangrove‐shrimp systems. Specifically, the influence of information, group dynamics and social learning on farmer decision‐making is poorly understood and, indeed, hardly investigated in Vietnam. This article reports on a study of social processes in three communes in Binh Dai District, Ben Tre Province, Vietnam. We conducted 42 semi‐structured interviews (with 34 farmers and eight local officials) and used secondary data. Our preliminary findings indicate that social dynamics in these communes were issue‐driven and played an important role in farmers’ decisions to adopt, or convert to, the integrated mangrove‐shrimp farming system. Television, radio, the internet, books, neighbours and training courses all had some influence in farmer decision‐making processes. However, our findings suggest that the accessibility, usefulness, relevance and approach of these communication methods must be improved if they are to adequately inform and support local farmers.

Characterizing shrimp-farm production intensity in Thailand: Beyond technical indices

“…Shrimp farming in Thailand has previously been presented as being very highintensive production orientated (Lebel et al, 2002;Kumar and Engle, 2016), with considerably less diversity, compared to other Southeast and South Asian countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh or Indonesia, where there is greater dependence on varying degrees of lower-intensity extensive production systems (Belton and Azad, 2012;Jespersen et al, 2014;Joffre et al, 2015;Nguyen et al, 2018). In 2002, for instance, Lebel et al (2002) described Thailand's shrimp farming industry as being dominated by high intensity farming systems.…”

“…To be able to attempt to steer the sector towards environmentally, economically and socially sustainable configurations, it is important to understand the decisions behind the diversity of farm intensities (e.g. see Bush and Marschke, 2014;Bush et al, 2010;Joffre et al, 2015bJoffre et al, , 2019Nguyen et al, 2018). Shrimp farmers are key actors within the system, therefore a comprehensive understanding of shrimp farmer behaviour 1 is crucial for guiding pathways towards sustainability (Bush et al, 2010).…”

“…Other literature explores the influence of policy and risk perception on the adoption of certain aquaculture farming practices, such as those aimed at conservation or climate change mitigation (Joffre et al, 2015(Joffre et al, , 2018Nguyen et al, 2018). For example, studies on shrimp producers have looked at factors influencing the adoption of more 'mangrove-friendly' integrated mangrove-shrimp systems (IMS).…”

“…In Vietnam, for instance, Joffre et al (2015) identified that shrimp farmers shift from extensive production systems to IMS systems based on a combination of drivers which influence farm profitability and disease risk, such as biophysical drivers (the role of mangroves in pond management) and those related to the value chain and regulatory framework. Nguyen et al (2018) explored factors influencing the adoption of IMS systems among shrimp farmers in Vietnam, which they relate to social dynamics such as learning through various media.…”

Guest Editorial: Geographies of engagement, livelihoods and possibility in South and Southeast Asian deltas

“…Conflicting interests between economic development and ecological values have also been widely discussed in this context. For instance, livelihoods based on integrated shrimp‐mangrove systems have been promoted to restore the role of mangrove forests in protecting coastlines and biodiversity (Nguyen et al ., 2018). In the coastal areas of the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna Delta (which encompasses most of Bangladesh), one of the most notable changes over the past four decades or so in the southwestern part of the country has been a large‐scale shift from traditional paddy farming systems to export‐oriented shrimp farming.…”