37 state procurement system and instead sold their output through informal private markets, where prices were reported to be 10 times higher (Akram Lodhi, 2001; Nguyen, 2006) In the South, the authori[.]
37 state procurement system and instead sold their output through informal private markets, where prices were reported to be 10 times higher (Akram - Lodhi, 2001; Nguyen, 2006) In the South, the authorities promoted the policy of nationalization and collectivization, formed large-scale agricultural cooperatives, and conducted the policy of self-sufficiency in food production The annual rate of food production per capita constantly decreased; the quantity of imported food increased year by year to 1.000.000 tons By 1979, Vietnam confronted an economic crisis Food was not sufficient even in Ho Chi Minh City despite being near the ‘rice basket’ Mekong river delta By the late 1980s, more than a decade after the end of the war, collectivization still failed to meet the expectations of the government Vietnam remained poor and unindustrialized, the country’s economy was in crisis, and millions of Vietnamese suffered from hunger, the amount of food per capita decreased below the required minimum (300kg/year); hence, the inhabitants risked falling back to poverty and famine Facing the risks of socialpolitical unrest, in 1988, the collectivized production was abandoned and the private production was legalized again by Government (Nguyen, 2006) Water management: against the backdrop of food security challenge, one of the most pressing national concerns was to ensure water sufficiency for getting the agriculture in the south running again, especially the Mekong Delta’s high potential for rice production In institutional terms, this priority materialized in the formation of the Ministry of Food in 1981 and the Ministry of Food Industry in 1987, respectively The restoration of damaged irrigation systems and the vast extension of dykes and canal construction works throughout the region were strictly emphasized and implemented In addition, major investments during this period were dedicated to augmenting freshwater availability through salinity and flood control, with the unilateral purpose to increase rice production Water became a top priority and attracted investment for the whole country In the Mekong Delta, with technical guidelines and appropriate steps to renovate the flooded, alkaline or saline areas with canal systems, horizontal channels, culverts, dams and embankments, the farmers were able to transform one crop into two seasonal crops in spring and winter As a result, higher yields were achieved over large areas in Dong Thap Muoi, Long Xuyen Quadrangle, and West Hau River In the South East, the Central and Highlands, besides the development of medium and small irrigation systems, there were