Hanoi (VNA) – The Mekong Delta region, Vietnam's rice bowl, is confronting unprecedented climate-related challenges, prompting a shift towards adaptation and nature-based solutions to ensure sustainable development.
The transition is at the heart of the Politburo's Conclusion No. 26-KL/TW, issued on April 24, 2026, on preventing and mitigating land subsidence, erosion, flooding, drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta. The document outlines coordinated solutions in planning, infrastructure, science and technology, and digital transformation to strengthen the resilience of Vietnam's "rice bowl."
According to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, land subsidence has been recorded across most parts of the Mekong Delta at rates of 0.5–3cm per year, with coastal areas sinking by 1.5–2.5cm annually. Over the past five years, many localities have experienced cumulative subsidence of between less than 5cm and more than 10cm.
Meanwhile, since 2016, the region has recorded 812 erosion sites stretching nearly 1,211km, including 315 classified as particularly dangerous, threatening lives, infrastructure and agricultural production.
These developments underscore the urgent need for the delta to adopt a development model that adapts to changing natural conditions rather than attempting to resist them.
Speaking at a recent conference in Can Tho City on implementing Conclusion No. 26, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung said localities have gradually shifted from passive disaster response to prevention and adaptation.
He said the conclusion sets out two guiding viewpoints and seven groups of key tasks and solutions to address the region's challenges. The ministry has completed the first draft of a Government action programme to implement the conclusion, which is expected to be submitted to the Government this year.
To strengthen disaster prevention infrastructure, the ministry has coordinated with the Ministry of Finance and local authorities to propose eight priority public investment projects for the 2026–2030 period. These include a water regulation system for areas south of National Highway 1A and a project to address flooding, erosion and climate adaptation in Can Tho.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep stressed that the delta could no longer rely on fragmented approaches such as building embankments only after erosion occurs or constructing barriers wherever subsidence appears. Instead, he called for integrated, cross-sectoral and inter-provincial solutions that address root causes.
In Vinh Long province, authorities have proposed relocating the remaining six households living on Thanh Long Islet, an area frequently affected by severe erosion. Instead of investing an estimated 150 billion VND (5.7 million USD) in protective work with limited effectiveness, the province plans to relocate residents and use sand from the islet for infrastructure projects.
Accelerating science-technology, digitalise in disaster management
Hung also urged provinces and cities to quickly translate Conclusion No. 26 into action, while improving the management of water resources, river sand mining, groundwater extraction and riverside and coastal construction in line with adaptive development principles.
Local authorities were asked to prioritise the safety of people and property, update data on areas vulnerable to erosion, subsidence, drought and saltwater intrusion, and assess resettlement needs for households in high-risk areas.
The ministry also highlighted the importance of science, technology and digital transformation in disaster management. Building interconnected databases and applying artificial intelligence (AI), big data and real-time forecasting models would improve monitoring, risk assessment, early warning systems and investment decisions.
Conclusion No. 26 also promotes non-structural measures, including climate-resilient farming, crop restructuring, water-saving varieties, mangrove restoration and the use of environmentally friendly construction materials to reduce reliance on river sand.
Experts said that as the Mekong Delta produces around 95% of Vietnam's rice exports and a large share of its aquaculture output, protecting the region is essential not only for economic growth but also for national food security and the country's sustainable development./.
