World Vision boosts An Giang shrimp farmers' sustainable livelihoods

Instead of weather worries, An Giang shrimp farmers are supported to apply ASC standards and secure guaranteed sales via an Australian-funded project.

In Vinh Thuan commune (An Giang province), the success or failure of a shrimp crop not only determines a family's economy but is also a measure of farmers' resilience against increasingly unpredictable weather fluctuations and saltwater intrusion.

To solve this problem, World Vision International in Viet Nam (WVIV) and Minh Phu Certified Shrimp Social Enterprise have partnered to pilot a climate-resilient shrimp farming model, linked to the value chain for small-scale farmers.

The program is within the framework of the BASIN (Business Acceleration for Sustainable and Inclusive Networks) project funded by the Australian Government, implemented in the 2025 - 2029 period. The project aims to enhance the resilience of the agricultural system, develop inclusive markets, and strengthen linkages between "farmers - enterprises - government".

The program's highlight in An Giang province is introducing high techniques and standards into farming ponds. Participating households will be trained to apply sustainable shrimp farming processes according to the international standards of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). Farmers are guided to practice measures to cope with flooding and saltwater intrusion risks, enhance traceability capacity, and improve commercial shrimp quality to meet strict market standards.

Regarding the output issue, Minh Phu Certified Shrimp Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. will directly participate in the linkage chain. Mr. Lam Thai Xuyen, the Company's Director, committed: "We always aim to improve livelihoods and promote sustainable shrimp farming models. Even after the BASIN project concludes, we will continue to cooperate and purchase from the farmers. Accompanying farmers long-term is a responsibility and also a way to spread positive values to the community".

To concretize the linkage chain, the parties have conducted field surveys of the farming area in Vinh Thuan and matched it with the production requirements at Minh Phu's processing plant in Ca Mau, creating a solid foundation to replicate the model.

Investing in livelihoods is investing in the future

According to Hanoi Radio and Television Broadcasting, Mr. Doseba Sinay, National Director of WVIV, emphasized the project's social welfare aspect: "Our greatest desire is for vulnerable children to develop comprehensively when their families have sustainable incomes and better resilience".

According to Mr. Doseba Sinay, for WVIV, investing in agricultural livelihoods is investing in the future. When a shrimp crop is successful and generates a stable income, children in rural areas will have more opportunities to study, receive healthcare, and grow up safely. The project also commits to enabling women, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities to participate and access benefits from this development process.

In the coming time, WVIV stated it will continue to seek additional corporate partners to expand the climate-resilient livelihood support network in An Giang province.

Hong Ngoc