Biography
Mr. Thai Van Nguyen is currently working as a Researcher and Lecturer at the Research Center for Rural Development (RCRD) of An Giang University, Vietnam. He is also a Founder of Mekong WASH and Agro-ecology Resilience (Mekong WASHER). His bachelor and master’s degree are both in social sciences. He has led and participated in several research and development studies in gender and natural resource management, farm-based livelihoods, disaster risks, climate change and community resilience. He has extensively been involved in leading research projects on Gender, Environment and
Society.
Links: ORCID Identity: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0003-9680
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thai-Nguyen- ag
Mekong WASHER Hub: https://mekongwash-er.com/en/home
Abstract
Gendered perspectives: local resilience of small-scale family farms to floods in dike compartments. Case study in Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD)
This paper uses the lens of feminist political ecology to examine adaptation strategies adopted by women and men in small-scale farming households in Vinh Phuoc village, An Giang province, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, to deal with floods. An analysis of this paper bases on qualitative data composed of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions carried out across a wide range of social-ecological systems in the context of dike compartments including high dikes, August dikes and non-dikes. During late 2020 and early 2021, semi-structured interviews were conducted with two representatives of Vinh Phuoc community, including those from local government (Chair of Vinh Phuoc and agricultural extension official), and 30 local farmers (3 mixed groups including male and female inhabitants) were invited to participate in village focus group discussions. This case study demonstrates how men and women were differently affected by floods and dike-related issues, as well as how their indigenous knowledge with regards to access to resources, asset ownership, and decision making were used to recover from flood disasters and its impacts. The findings highlight those female and male smallholders differently experience the constraints from pursuing adaptation options and building resilience by a lack of access to, or control over resources, or by socio-cultural limitations. Policy recommendations need to be considered so as to recognize farming smallholder’s roles and indigenous knowledge from gendered perspectives in contributing to increase their resilience towards floods and future changes of the environments.
Affiliation: An Giang University, Vietnam