The Vietnamese government and a range of international development partners are working together to improve the way the country farms shrimp, with an emphasis on small-scale operators. They are setting new targets for sustainable aquaculture along with incentives for farmers to reach them, due to the significant environmental problems associated with current farming methods. Deforestation, erosion, rapid land subsidence and rising salinity levels are threatening the stability of the entire Mekong region, and while shrimp farming does not take the blame alone for these issues, it is a substantial part of the problem. However, despite these efforts, the reality is that most intensive shrimp farmers are reluctant to change. Many farmers are simply not aware of the damage their farms may be doing. Faced with a rapidly deteriorating Mekong region and the challenge of working with thousands of small farmers, Vietnamese authorities and outside partners, including the IUCN and World Bank, are still grappling with how to move the shrimp industry forward.

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Eco-Business