Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability Assessment and Economic Analysis of Adaptation Strategies in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam

Scientific database has proven that Vietnam is one of the most affected countries due to climate change impacts on aquaculture and economies of rural communities. Ben Tre region has suffered immensely from recent salt water intrusion. Climate change generates sea level rise, increase in temperature and salt water intrusion. In 2005 losses had increased to US$37 million. We conducted three focus group discussions (FGDs) to assist in the identification of vulnerable sectors and households and community adaptation strategies to climate change. Households were also evaluated based on the levels of vulnerability. Residents have requested the construction of a water treatment plant and a dike system. CEA is employed as the tool for evaluating the two planned adaptations: Building a freshwater-supplying factory and Building a sea dike system. Total costs include initial investment and annual operating costs. We also conducted a benefit cost analysis since the outcomes of the strategies are different. The distribution of vulnerability index showed that 31% of households are highly vulnerable to climatic risk while 56% of households are not vulnerable at all. The sea dike is three times more expensive than the freshwater plant. In addition to the higher investment, it is more costly to keep the sea dike under operation annually. The water treatment plant is more cost effective in servicing the communities with freshwater but the dike has a higher benefit cost ratio when all costs are internalized and secondary benefits to agriculture and aquaculture are considered.EEPSEA and WorldFish Cente

Climate Change Awareness and Impacts on Aquaculture in Poor Rural Coastal Communities, Ben Tre Province, Vietnam

Vietnam has been ranked as one of the countries in Asia with the highest vulnerabilities to climate change impacts on fisheries and aquaculture. Eight of those ten provinces are located in the Mekong River Delta, including Ben Tre Province. We conducted a study to identify the impacts of climate change events on Ben Tre province poor rural coastal communities, to evaluate their awareness and the effects of climate change events on aquaculture. Farmers were aware of changing climatic conditions and pointed out indicators of these changes: (1) Changes in production and culturing patterns, (2) Changes in housing designs, (3) Improvement in drinking water collection and increase in water procurement, (4) Pumping of fresh water in the shrimp ponds, and (5) Building of dikes to prevent salt water intrusion. About 90 percent of respondents indicated that they suffered losses from salt water intrusion. Total losses generated by salt water intrusion amounted to VND 1,599,803,000, equivalent to USD 77,151. Age, education and previous effects from climate change events affected knowledge and perception of severity of climate change events. Farmers who were engaged in aquaculture were more likely to be prepared for climate change events than those who were not.EEPSEA and WorldFish Cente

The value chain of white leg shrimp exported to the U.S market in Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam

The research aimed to explore the value chain of frozen white leg shrimp exported to the U.S market from Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. Three objectives were set up, that is, (1) to identify the activities conducted by different actors in the value chain and the corresponding costs and earnings of those activities, (2) to evaluate the distributions of revenue, cost and profit along the chain, and (3) to determine factors preventing shrimp farmers from dealing directly with processing firms. Research findings showed that before exported to the U.S market, white leg shrimp has to undergo farming, procurement, and processing. Shrimp farming basically comprises of such steps as pond cleaning, seed release, and caring. When shrimp attain harvestable size, middlemen come to perform the procurement which includes harvesting, preserving, and transporting. At the processing plants, shrimp are transformed into final products, packed, labeled preserved and stored waiting to be exported. During shrimp farming, farmers incur several costs like seed, feed, labor, and other miscellaneous expenses. At the procurement stage, addition to purchasing shrimp from farmers, middlemen have to add some other costs like transport, labor, ice, and other inputs to transfer shrimp to the next stage. At the processing stage, direct material, direct labor, overhead, and other costs are added in accordance with the accounting format. Farmers, middlemen and processors experience positive profit in the 2008-2010 period. Based on costs and earnings data, some calculations were made which revealed the distributions of revenue (export price), cost and profit of 1 kg frozen shrimp exported to the U.S market. Costs and profits distributions were in sync with expectations. The surveys revealed 3 reasons why farmers depend on middlemen to sell their harvest, that is, lack of facilities, delayed payment policy and risk aversion

THE VALUE CHAIN OF EXPORTED WHITELEG SHRIMP: CASE STUDY IN KHANH HOA PROVINCE, VIETNAM

This study focuses on systematic mapping and verification of benefit distribution among stakeholders in the value chain of white-leg shrimp in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. The question is, can reorganization of small farmer groups enhance participation and efficiency of the value chain? Convenient sampling and face-to-face interview method were employed in 2014 and 2015 to solicit information from 100 shrimp producers, 10 middlemen and 3 exporters. Males account for 98 percent of small independent producers. There is an involvement of middlemen (middlemen type #1 and middlemen type # 2) in the chain. The middlemen are the drivers in the chain and engage in risk shifting on producers. The distribution of shrimp materials by middlemen type #1 to the processing plant is based on shrimp size. An alternate design to assist collective bargaining by unified small farm *groups shows in order to attain a sustainable value chain for white-leg shrimp, one should improve vertical integration and coordination among the market participants; and seek government intervention to build the image of Vietnam seafood in international markets

Food Safety and Vietnam EU Pangasius strategy

Using Hirschman’s theoretical framework we evaluated the competitive position of Vietnamese pangasius export industry and the strategies employed by the private sector to increase market share in the EU. The authors organized focus group discussions, and interviewed 50 pangasius processors and exporters, and five government officials. The results show that most enterprises exploit the compliant, reactive and defensive strategies to maintain market share. A few firms employ the proactive/offensive strategies. These command larger EU market share; have more years of experience in processing; and are more vertically integrated than those adopting an offensive/reactive or reactive/defensive stance