CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN VIET NAMNguyen Van Luat *1. INTRODUCTION<strong>Crop</strong> diversification as understood <strong>in</strong> Viet Nam is def<strong>in</strong>ed as <strong>the</strong> strategy of shift<strong>in</strong>gfrom less profitable to more profitable crops, chang<strong>in</strong>g of variety and cropp<strong>in</strong>g system,<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g exports and competitiveness <strong>in</strong> both domestic and <strong>in</strong>ternational markets,protect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> environment, and mak<strong>in</strong>g conditions favourable for comb<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Agriculture-Fishery-Forestry-Livestock.Before 1989, when Viet Nam was a net food importer, crop diversification wasstudied under <strong>the</strong> National <strong>Crop</strong>p<strong>in</strong>g Systems Project based on rice and under <strong>the</strong>International Farm<strong>in</strong>g Systems Network, coord<strong>in</strong>ated by <strong>the</strong> International Rice ResearchInstitute (IRRI). The Project aimed ma<strong>in</strong>ly to <strong>in</strong>crease food production.2. CROP PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC SCENARIO2.1 <strong>Crop</strong> ProductionThere are 18 major food crops, <strong>in</strong> addition to <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> fruit species, cultivated <strong>in</strong> VietNam. The cultivated area, yield and production of <strong>the</strong>se crops are presented <strong>in</strong> Table 1. Riceoccupies around 85 percent of <strong>the</strong> total area under rice, corn, sweet potato and cassava.Data from Statistical Publish<strong>in</strong>g House (Hanoi, 1999) show that <strong>the</strong> total area undercrops was <strong>in</strong>creased by 2,665,000 ha from 1990 to 1998. The <strong>in</strong>crease of food crop area was<strong>the</strong> lowest (20.1 percent). The perennial <strong>in</strong>dustrial crop area was <strong>the</strong> highest (83.4 percent).Vegetables, annual <strong>in</strong>dustrial crops and fruit crops, <strong>in</strong>creased by 50 percent as compared to<strong>the</strong> extents of 1990. <strong>Diversification</strong> on rice land has decreased, especially <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> MekongDelta, because of <strong>the</strong> fluctuation of prices of upland crop products grown <strong>in</strong> rotation withrice or through diversification of rice land. Farmers have frequently met with risks anduncerta<strong>in</strong>ty <strong>in</strong> prices. In <strong>the</strong> Mekong Delta non-rice food crops only contributed 10 percentto food production.2.2 Economic Scenario of <strong>the</strong> Agricultural Sector<strong>Crop</strong>s, fishery and forestry contributed to <strong>the</strong> national GDP <strong>in</strong> 1990 to <strong>the</strong> tune of40.7 percent, which decreased to 23.5 percent <strong>in</strong> 1998, although <strong>the</strong> net value <strong>in</strong>creased by abig marg<strong>in</strong>.In terms of value structure, agriculture shared above 80 percent of <strong>the</strong> total valuefrom agriculture, fisheries and forestry (1995-1998). In <strong>the</strong> rural economy, agricultural* Professor and Senior Scientist, Cuulong Delta Rice Research Institute, Omon, Cantho, Vietnam.147
production accounted for around 80 percent with animal husbandry (17 percent) and services(3 percent) mak<strong>in</strong>g up <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>der. The country is try<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>the</strong> proportion of <strong>the</strong>value structure from animal husbandry and services through <strong>in</strong>dustrialization andmodernization.With regard to trade of agricultural products, rice, rubber, coffee, tea, cashew nut,peanut, black pepper and o<strong>the</strong>r horticultural commodities are exported. Agriculturalproducts imported are cotton, edible oil, milk and tobacco. Major crops for export are shown<strong>in</strong> Table 2. In 1999, 4.5 million tonnes of milled rice were exported from Viet Nam, whichbecame <strong>the</strong> second largest rice exporter, after Thailand.Table 1. Cultivated Area, Yield and Production of <strong>the</strong> Major <strong>Crop</strong>s<strong>Crop</strong>Paddy riceCornSweet potatoCassavaVegetablesBeansCottonJute, kanefRushSugar canePeanutSoybeanTobaccoCoffeeTeaRubberCoconutCash cropsFruit cropsArea(1000 ha)7,362.4649.7254.9231.6401.4221.520.28.711.0283.0269.4127.831.2370,60279,180389,778142,504196,003438.4Production(1000 tonnes)29,141.71,612.01,517.31,783.45,150.0144.120.718.667.013,843.5386.0141.331.7409.3229,540199,733105,45053,251-Yield(qu<strong>in</strong>tal/ha)39.624.859.577.0128.36.510.221.360.9489.214.311.110.2------Source: Statistical Publish<strong>in</strong>g House, Hanoi, 1999.Table 2. Ma<strong>in</strong> <strong>Crop</strong>s for Export (thousand tonnes)<strong>Crop</strong> 1990 1995 1996 1997 1998Milled RiceTeaCoffeeRubberPeanutCashew nutBlack pepper1.62416.189.675.970.724.79.01.99818.8248.1138.1111.099.017.93.00320.8283.7194.5127.016.525.33.55332.2389.3194.583.033.323.03.80034.0379.0185.087.030.023.0Source: Statistical Publish<strong>in</strong>g House, Hanoi, 1999.148
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RAP PUBLICATION: 2001/03CROP DIVERS
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CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN THEASIA-PAC
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13. INTENSIFICATION OF CROP DIVERSI
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INTRODUCTORY REMARKSMinas K. Papade
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New opportunities that would benefi
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CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN BANGLADESHM
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(CDP) during 1990/95 in 125 Thanas
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SlName of Crops1 Aus:HYVLocalTable
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Table 4. Trade of Crops/products (I
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through development projects implem
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y the terminal year of the Fifth Pl
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cropping. This has only been possib
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process and export those labour int
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g) restoration/improvement of soil
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8. RECOMMENDATIONSConsidering the i
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enthusiasm of the farmers in their
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3.3 The Formation and Development o
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carried out for years, guarantees t
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environment protection. Special att
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2. CROP PRODUCTION AND ECONOMICS SC
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What is most notable is the change
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8.36 m/ha involved in the area shif
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fact that the area shares of the do
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country. Therefore, a judicious use
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5.3 Emerging Technology and Crop Di
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7. CONCLUSIONSIndia, being a vast c
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Table 3. All India: Temporal Change
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Table 5. All India: Temporal Change
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CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN JAPANMasa I
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production, these ratios were deter
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soybean using paddy fields should c
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food industry have sharply increase
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7. CONCLUSIONSThe Japanese socio-ec
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Figure 2. Change of Rice Productivi
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Figure 4. Aid Provided by Major Cou
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The Natural Rubber (NR) industry co
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About 78 percent of the rubber grow
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should be attractive to justify the
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REFERENCESAnon. 1990. Proceedings o
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Table 3. Agriculture Land Use in Sa
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Table 7. Paddy Production, 1985-199
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Table 10. Imports and Exports of Fr
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Table 14. Exports and Imports of Pr
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CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN NEPALK. C.
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We know hill farmers face many prob
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Table 2. Growth of Agricultural Com
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3. PATTERN OF CROP DIVERSIFICATIONN
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With regard to success stories of c
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5. CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND PR
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It recognizes the need for a differ
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CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN THE PHILIPP
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- Page 152 and 153: REFERENCESAthipanan, Withaya. 1995.
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