In Vietnam’s low-lying Mekong Delta, saltwater intrusion, soil erosion and desertification threaten rice yields, the main income source for millions of smallholder farmers. This reality affects more than 15 million smallholder farmers, 59% living on less than $3.10 per day.

This situation underscores the urgent need for this simple, native and accessible innovation: natural cultivation of coastal mangroves acting as natural barriers against storms and saltwater, protecting valuable clay-rich soils.

Battling Climate Threats in the Mekong Delta

In the low-lying Mekong Delta of Vietnam, climate-resilient farming initiatives use nature-based solutions (NbS) to stabilize and enrich farmland. These include restoring coastal mangroves and planting legume-rich forest strips. Coastal mangroves form a natural barrier against storms and saltwater, preventing the loss of the clay-rich soils that rice plants require.

Inland, reforestation with legumes replenishes nitrogen in the soil and slows desertification, ensuring farmland stays fertile over time. Together, these measures create a more stable agricultural environment without reliance on expensive chemical inputs.

Harnessing the Power of Mangroves and Agroforestry

Climate-resilient farming in Vietnam tackles two linked problems. On farmland, agroforestry and legume plantings improve soil structure and nitrogen availability, helping rehabilitate degraded plots and reverse early stages of desertification. These practices keep soils fertile without relying solely on expensive chemical fertilizers.

A meta-analysis found that flower strips increase natural pest control services by about 16% on average in adjacent cropped fields. Compared with other integrated measures, broader agroecological approaches reduce disease and pest incidence. These effects are typically more substantial where habitat patches are larger and better connected.

Rodents cause significant pre-harvest losses in Southeast Asian rice; conservative estimates put regional losses at around 5% or roughly 16 million tonnes. Studies show that complex landscapes with more non-crop habitats like hedgerows, wetlands and forests support natural predators, boosting pest control in rice fields.

Coastal mangroves and wetlands create habitats that support native predators, like waterbirds, snakes and carnivores, which help control rodent populations. Studies show that preserving or restoring these habitats reduces rodent outbreaks compared to simplified landscapes. In addition, the high-energy biomass of the mangrove forests is often seen as native animal feed. This is a perfect symbiosis, since more than 50% of the farmers, in addition to rice cultivation, also conduct livestock farming.

Real-Life Success Stories From Coastal Communities

In southern Vietnam, mangrove restoration has been used to alleviate poverty and diversify income sources. Approximately 8,000 households received land leases and improved access to infrastructure such as schools, roads and health care services. The restoration led to a 209–789% increase in yields of mussels and oysters per hectare. The direct economic benefit for selected communities ranged between approximately $344,000 and $6.7 million.

Furthermore, mangrove restoration reduced dike damage from similar typhoons by approximately $80,000 to $295,000, demonstrating mangroves’ important role in protecting rural areas. While exact studies on poverty reduction are still lacking, the proven effectiveness of this technology is clear. Mangrove restoration offers accessible, practical benefits that directly support vulnerable communities facing extreme poverty and climate risks. This freely available solution holds great promise to improve lives where needed most.

Scaling Up NbS for a Resilient Future

Between 1999 and 2013, nearly 9,000 hectares of mangroves were planted and protected across almost 100 Vietnam coastal communities. This effort directly benefited 350,000 people, with indirect benefits reaching another 2 million along Vietnam’s coast.

From 1978 to 1998, Vietnam restored about 1,500 km² (150,000 ha) of mangrove forests in the Mekong Delta. Also, between 2015 and 2020, approximately 27,322 hectares (around 34.1%) of mangroves were successfully restored through state- and NGO-funded projects. This restoration increased the total mangrove area from 79,593 hectares to 90,777 hectares.

Despite challenges like funding and climate pressures, mangrove restoration offers tremendous opportunities for ecological and community benefits. With growing awareness and collaborative efforts, more sustainable and resilient projects are emerging. These initiatives showcase the powerful potential of NbS to protect both people and the environment for the long term. This project is now serving as a model for similar programs across Southeast Asia.

– Alexander Broermann

Alexander is based in Frankfurt, Germany and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay