Difficulties in Transition among Livelihoods under Agricultural Land Conversion for Industrialization: Perspective of Human Development

Abstract

Increasing industrialization in Vietnam has transformed numerous fields of farmers to industrial zones, especially in the RedRiver Delta in Vietnam. This process forces farmers to change significantly their livelihoods. Affected same changes, farmers have to start new livelihoods. However, in many industrializing regions, inequality and social differentiation are increasing higher than before among farmers practicing new livelihoods. This implies that new livelihoods of partly farmer groups are not as good as those of others. Such farmer groups have faced difficulties preventing them to have better livelihoods, and creating hidden social stratification. From perspective of human development as capabilities expansion, this research identifies difficulties and farmers' capabilities during the process of starting new livelihood. As preliminary results, there are farmer groups having limited choices for new good livelihoods. Main difficulties in transition livelihoods are lack of financial resources, new working skills, market information, market linkages, and constraint of age. Such problems create deprivation of capability or freedom in starting new good livelihood. Of methodology, the research examines changes in livelihoods of farmers who are affected from agricultural land conversion for industrialized zones in Red River Delta, Vietnam. In-depth interview and group discussion are taken to understand transition in livelihoods, and farmers 'capabilities in starting new livelihoods. This research contributes to human development discourse from aspect of livelihoods. Also, identifying difficulties is useful for explaining inequality and social differentiation under industrialization. The research is helpful for policy makers and state staffs who design and implement policies of agriculture and industrialization.

Development of industrial parks and a new livelihood strategy for the people in Vietnam

“…The studies by Hyeong et al (2016), Blomstrom and Kokko (2002), and Ramona (2008) have similar findings, namely they show that IPs development has socio-economic effects, however, in the long term; the development of IPs is carried out towards green and sustainable industry. On the micro level, some studies by Dai et al (2013), Bui et al (2013), and Bury (2004) focused more on exploiting the impact of IPs development on the lives of people living around the IPs. These studies focus on those who lose agricultural land to build IPs, the impact of this target group, so there are appropriate recommendations suggesting new de-signs of fertility strategies for them.…”

Transforming river basins: Post-livelihood transition agricultural landscapes and implications for natural resource governance

“…For instance, in the water abundant and fertile southern and coastal regions of the Yellow river basin in China, capital is being reallocated away from agriculture into secondary and service sectors (Su et al, 2011;Webber et al, 2008). In the Red River Delta, Vietnam and Yangtze River Delta, China, numerous fertile agricultural fields were transformed into industrial zones (Dai et al, 2013;Su et al, 2011). Moreover, other NR based enterprises such as mines, commercial aquaculture, tourism etc.…”

Urbanization – changes in employment and incomes of people in Vietnam

“…Industrial parks in urban areas are built as an indispensable part of the development process of urban regions when industrialization and urbanization always develop together. Some studies aimed to examine the effects of industrial park development on the income or livelihood of people living nearby industrial parks (Dai et al, 2013;Bury, 2004). In addition, in the study of Bui et al (2013) and Bury (2004), they focus on the target group of people who are affected by industrial park development but have agricultural land acquired; however, there is another group of people who are also affected by industrial park development but agricultural land is not acquired, which has not been mentioned in these studies.…”