Floods, soil and food – Interactions between water management and rice production within An Giang province, Vietnam

Rapid intensification of Vietnamese rice production has had a positive effect on the nation's food and economy. However, sustainability intensive is increasingly being questioned within Vietnam, particularly in major agricultural provinces such as An Giang. The construction high dykes this province, which allow for complete regulation water onto fields, enabled farmers to grow up three crops per year. profitability producing rapidly decreasing increase their use chemical fertilizer inputs pesticides. Increased are partly used replace natural flood-borne, nutrient-rich sediment that have been inhibited by dykes, but believe despite this, soil health dyke system degrading. effects properties not tested. Therefore, sampling campaign was conducted assess differences caused dykes. results show that, under present fertilization practices, although may inhibit flood-borne sediments, does lead systematic reduction nutrients typically limit growth areas Concentrations total nitrogen, available phosphorous, both potassium, pH were higher surface layer soils crop when compared two areas. This suggests yield declines be other factors related inputs, care should taken attempting maintain yields. Attempting compensate increasing ultimately negative