Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute
Project: VIE/00/018/08
Participatory Rural Environmental Management in the Red River Delta
(Hop Tien commune, Nam Sach district, Hai Duong province)
Bui Thi Thai, Le Manh Dung, Dang Kim Khoi,
Tony Swan & Le Son Thanh
Hanoi, Vietnam
2003
Abstract
In order to assess community awareness of the environmental situation in a Red River Delta commune (Hop Tien) in northern Viet Nam, a trained Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute (VASI) team completed a Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) in late 2003 and early 2004. Rural environmental management methods were examined and solutions and action plans were prepared with the communities and individual farmers. Policy recommendations for institutions at the local, regional, provincial and national levels, based in part on PRA and other analyses were produced.
Two hamlets were studied as they possessed typical but different environmental problems resulting from intensive agricultural production. La hamlet practiced pig farming and Ben hamlet practiced crop farming.
Through a participatory process of consultation, the team and rural communities examined the key environmental problems and the willingness and capacity of farmers to identify and participate in solutions. The team, with rural community representatives, studied the capacity of communes to propose, accept, and apply new policies and solutions. This depended on the expectations and attitudes of rural communities and knowledge of rules and regulations.
After initial information exchanges, each community formed an assessment committee for the commune (ACC) with representatives of a cross section of agricultural activities and social institutions. Backed by the VASI team, the ACC members discussed a broad agenda with farmers and other in their hamlets. This provided substantial relevant information for all parties. Then the ACCs presented an action plan to the communities to manage the rural environment. The plan included solutions to be carried out at the community level, and short term and long term strategies for higher levels of government.
Significant problems were described in each hamlet, including water and air pollution and soil degradation. The household use of rain, well, and pond water poses serious health difficulties, in part because of lo farmer incomes and the prohibitive costs of well drilling and cisterns. Air pollution is serious during the spraying of pesticides and near an abattoir and a power plant , as well as near brick kilns, onion frying operations and transport routes. Soil degradation from heavy fertilizer application and repeated cultivation is commonplace. Flooding after heavy rains is most serious casing obstructed traffic and skin diseases for farmers. Of particular concern is the widespread use of banned pesticides and the very high application of legal farm chemicals. A related issue is the lack of a process and facilities to safely dispose of used pesticide containers.
Flooding is caused by improper management of fish ponds, and channels in the fields. As well, the disposal of garbage is a problem due to the lack of rubbish dumps and methods to treat wastes, such as plastics.
The ACCs reported the locations and levels of pollution as well as the perpetrators and the impact on the community members, the livestock and the environment.
Then each hamlet described solutions to specific environmental problems including he need to fill gaps in the regulations and legislation relevant to the environment. For example where large and intensive pig farming is a cause of major water, air and soil pollution, the operations should be moved to an outlying area of the settlement. For improved insecticide use, the village loud speaker broadcast should inform farmers on the insecticide timing and dosage, to be effective for given crops.
The ACCs described the best way to organize the environmental operations using a variety of options such as Youth Brigades, residents, government co-financing for cisterns and other infrastructure, and interventions at the provincial level to deal with abattoir and power plant pollution. Overarching issues are the need to strengthen communication between the communities and higher levels of government and to provide training on the regulations and policies of the agricultural sector.
It was reported that this assessment was the first on which solicited advice and information from the farmers and others in the villages, and then used it in the preparation of remedies to the problems.
The project produced a complete collection of locally described environmental problems and remedies with specific recommendations on implementation. The success of this PRA approach suggests there is potential for its ongoing application in similar rural areas where intensive agriculture is practiced.