SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES IN THE MEKONG DELTA

This study examined policies related to sustainable agricultural development in the Mekong Delta by reviewing relevant regulatory documents and synthesizing findings from existing research. Agriculture in the region possesses significant advantages, including diverse and abundant natural resources, potential for restructuring crop and livestock systems, and strong institutional support through preferential policies at multiple administrative levels. The region also benefits from external opportunities such as growing global food demand, increased international economic integration, advances in science and technology, and the expansion of tourism and post-harvest processing industries. Despite these strengths, several constraints hinder sustainable development, including inefficient resource management, a shortage of skilled labor, limited financial investment, and low adoption of technological innovations. Moreover, the region faces mounting challenges such as the impacts of climate change (e.g., sea level rise, salinity intrusion), fluctuating and competitive agricultural markets, and pressures from rapid urbanization and land-use change. Based on a SWOT (Strengths–Weaknesses–Opportunities–Threats) analysis, the study proposed a set of strategic directions and policy recommendations to enhance the sustainability and resilience of agriculture in the Mekong Delta in the coming decades.