Feasibility study of climate-resilient integrated mangrove-aquaculture in Vinh Long Province
Feasibility study of climate-resilient integrated mangrove-aquaculture in Vinh Long Province
Climate change is severely impacting coastal communities in the Mekong Delta. Saline intrusion, extreme weather events, and aquaculture diseases are reducing productivity and increasing economic risks. Local communities face shortages in infrastructure, technical capacity, capital, and sustainable solutions to maintain and improve their livelihoods.
On 5 August 2025, in Duyen Hai ward, Vinh Long Province, IUCN organised a meeting with 20 farmers as a part of Feasibility Study (FS) on mangrove restoration. The aim was to share information, exchange solutions, and gather feedback on integrated mangrove-aquaculture, a recognised system to strengthen climate resilience in coastal areas in the delta.
At the workshop, mangrove specialist Pham Trong Thinh highlighted the role of mangroves in protecting shorelines, regulating aquaculture environments, and as part of polyculture models such as shrimp, crab, and fish farming. The discussion focused on three areas:
1. Support mangrove planting in aquaculture ponds: farmers need external assistance with equipment (solar-powered lights, protective fish nets), seasonal high-quality aquaculture seeds, mangrove planting, water and pond-bottom treatment, pond improvements, and generating natural feed (algae) for shrimps. Based on the FS results, IUCN will provide some support selectively.
2. Challenges in aquaculture: most households face constraints, notably poor seed quality, market price fluctuations, lack of investment capital, water pollution, erratic weather (prolonged drought, sudden heavy rain), white spot disease in shrimps.
3. Advantages and challenges of planting mangroves in ponds: advantages include creating a cooler, more natural environment and improving farming conditions; challenges include lack of funding and skills, product branding, cement embankments, and black sludge caused by trees that are too densely planted.
After the workshop, on 6-8 August 2025, IUCN and experts from the Sub-Department of Forestry and Environment conducted a field survey in Hon Trung, Con Tau (Truong Long Hoa ward), and Long Dien (Duyen Hai ward) hamlets. The survey also covered Dong Hai mudflat and Hung Long islet. The results showed that most households expressed strong interest in receiving support to implement different forms of mangrove-aquaculture and that all the surveyed sites were suitable for mangrove restoration. IUCN will use the survey results to finalise a feasibility study to restore mangroves using integrated mangrove-aquaculture models.
This activity is a part of the project “Applying NbS to control canal erosion and protect coastal areas in the Mekong Delta”, funded by two philanthropists, Mr. Nguyen Vu Bang and Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hien. The project aims to promote NbS for climate change adaptation, improve livelihoods of coastal communities in Vinh Long Province in particular, and contribute to the conservation of the mangrove ecosystem across the Mekong Delta.
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