Udc 338.432:351.778.2(597) Agricultural Production in the Context of Industrialization and Food Security in Vietnam

Since 1990s the bloom of industrialization and urbanization brings the changes of social and economic issue of Vietnam rural areas. During this process, rural households have reduced agricultural land for cultivating. From the status of food producers now they become food consumers. Through surveying 215 households in Bac Ninh province, the study shows that that industrialization and land conversion process affected household food security in several aspects: the lost of agricultural land and surplus agricultural production decrease; unguaranteed decent work for peasants and high living cost; the decline of living quality and food safety. Food consumption of the family has shifted from self-reliance to the way that more depend on market which increases food expense propotion on household budget. However, spending more on food does not mean satisfied since the suspiciousness of food quality. Household food security becomes more vulnerable, especially for households that have limited access to land and incapability of finding stable jobs. One of the strategies of rural households is diversify their livelihoods, accepted multi-spacial household model. And when income from nonfarm jobs could relatively supply enough their need of cash, they would rather consume high quality food than grow and sell high yielding variable. Rural households move back to the local traditional agricultural activities to ensure their own food quality.