the new hydro-ecological system
The mangrove-shrimp based livelihood model has been considered as one of the hydro-ecological systems that could enhance the resilience of millions coastal communities worldwide. In Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), this model has brought multiple benefits for coastal households. However, the livelihood has been questioned on the grounds from its sustainability and resilience to climate change induced salinity intrusion along with existing constraints. This paper aims to explore perspectives of mangrove-shrimp farmers in the coastal province of Ben Tre of the VMD from their willingness on sustaining the livelihoods. We utilized a Motivation and Ability (MOTA) framework in combination with a sustainable tool (DFID) to measure perceived values and resilience of mangrove-shrimp farming systems. A multidisciplinary method was investigated including systematic literature reviews and interviews. Our findings presented high ability of farmers in maintaining the mangrove-shrimp model, but low motivation in development. Water pollution and shrimp disease are the highest risks which would be exacerbated by extreme salinity intrusion. Transforming of mangrove-shrimp livelihoods is relatively low in terms of sustainable and resilient assessments. The implemented framework is potentially applied for resemble areas where have been dealing with livelihood sustainability of agricultural transformation. In addition, we sought to contribute meaningful and concrete recommendations to fuel people's capacity to sustain this livelihood model not only for Vietnamese but also for those in coastal areas over the world.
