Impact of Sustainable Agricultural Practices on Labor Use Among Rice Farmers in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

ABSTRACT The Mekong Delta (MKD), Vietnam has achieved high rice productivity through rapid intensification. However, this progress has led to environmental degradation and adverse economic and health effects. To mitigate these challenges, sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) have been promoted. While previous studies have examined SAPs' economic impacts on farmers, their labor implications remain underexplored. This study investigates how the adoption of SAPs affects labor requirements in rice production in Vietnam's MKD. Specifically, it examines the impact of adopting multiple SAPs (seed rate reduction, fertilizer reduction combined with organic fertilizer, pesticide reduction, and water reduction) on total labor demand, labor sources (family or hired), and gender participation. Using cross‐sectional survey data from 152 rice farmers and applying a multinomial endogenous treatment effect model, the analysis reveals that full adoption of all four SAPs significantly reduces labor demand by 29% compared to non‐adopters. Partial adoption yields smaller labor‐saving effects. The reduction is more pronounced for hired labor than for family labor, with minimal involvement of female family members in rice production. These findings suggest that promoting comprehensive SAPs adoption can lower labor requirements and improve rice yields, offering a pathway to more sustainable and economically viable rice farming in the MKD.