Vietnam’s broken rice bowl
For generations farmers and their families harvesting their rice paddies in the fertile Mekong Delta have relied on the river’s bountiful fish resources and rice production for their subsistence.
For millions, the pulse of life is the constant flow of the river. Those living along the Mekong and its Delta tributaries have recognized their “water civilization” as natural wealth to be conserved and sustained for future generations.
But experts and farmers know that the intricate network of rivers and canals is seriously threatened from climate change, rising sea levels, industrial pollution and the adverse impacts of upstream hydropower dams.
JAMES BORTON
