SUSTAINABLE SECURITY: Why the Mekong Delta is so important

The Mekong Delta plays an important role in the sustainable security of Vietnam, particularly as it relates to food security and the national economy. Facts of importance:

- 20% of Vietnam population live in the Mekong Delta

- 48% of stape foods for Vietnam are grown in the Mekong Delta

- 75% of Aquaculture production for Vietnam comes from the Mekong Delta

- 38% of marine fishery production for Vietnam comes from the Mekong Delta

- 40% of caught fisheries for Vietnam comes from th Mekong Delta

- The health of the Mekong Delta and its agri-dependent industry is dependent on the flow of the river and tidal water of the sea

- "Flow" relates to the quanitity, quality, timing and sediment of the river water

- Issues associated with changes in flow: salinity, acidification, water availability, erosion, reduction of soil fertility due to argiculture and fishery impacts, flooding, droughts.

- Salinity intrusion is a significant issue influenced by:

- Processes within Vietnam

- Basin water resources developments

- How upstream dams are operated will have significant impacts on extent and timing of saline intrusion

- Global climate change poses severe threats to the Mekong Delta with sea level rise projected to be between 30 cm and 1 metre by 2100

A sea level rise of  of 1 meter would innundate 90% of the delta annually
By 2030, the sea level rise could expose around 45 percent of the delta's land area to extreme salinisation and crop damage through flooding (source, Annual Mekong Flood Report: Mekong River Commission)

Changes on the Mekong will likely impact the resilience and sustainable security of Vietnam.