Under the resolution, the delta will divided into different ecological sub-regions, such as floodplains, freshwater zones, brackish water zones and saltwater zones, as the basis for economic, agricultural and infrastructure development.
Cities and rural communities will also be developed and re-organised in accordance with the specific conditions of each sub-region.
Sectorial and local planning will be reviewed so that the focus of plans is transformed from living with floods to proactively living with floods, submersion, brackish water and saltwater, which will then be utilised to develop the appropriate economic sectors.
The Mekong Delta’s agricultural sector will be underpinned by three pillars: fisheries, fruit trees and rice, in which fishery products will the region’s key output.
The government’s resolution also stresses the importance of regional connection in managing water resources, responding to the impacts of climate change and enhancing the competitiveness of the delta’s agricultural products.
The Mekong River Delta is Vietnam’s largest agricultural production area, accounting for 50% of the country’s rice output, 65% of seafood output and 75% of fruit output.
Moreover, 95% of Vietnam’s rice exports and 60% of fish exports are produced in the region.
However, the delta is highly susceptible to natural changes, with climate change and rising seawater levels occurring faster than anticipated, causing many extreme weather phenomena and seriously affecting the livelihood of local residents.
Furthermore, upstream dam construction has altered the water flows, which in turn has reduced the amount of alluvial soil, decreased the fish stock and worsened saltwater intrusion.
Simultaneously, excessive economic activity has caused serious environmental pollution, ecological imbalance, subsidence, groundwater depletion, coastal erosion and deforestation.
Meanwhile the regional development coordination mechanisms have failed to work effectively and there remains a lack of links between the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City, the Southern Key Economic Region and the Greater Mekong Sub-region.
