Sustainable impacts of migration on agricultural development in Red River Delta, Vietnam

At the same times migration both originated from, and affects processes of agrarian change. Migration have potential in improving migrant household’s living standard and provide a endorsement against agricultural shocks (Ellis, 2000). However, while there is little doubt that migration would improve the well-being of migrants’ households in developing country, its impact on agriculture remains debated and less straightforward. This paper therefore captures the impacts of migration on agricultural production with particular reference to one village in the Red River Delta. This paper draws on a case study carried out in Mai Thon village, Bac Ninh province. Bac Ninh is located in Red River Delta, about 30km far north from the capital Ha Noi, along the recently upgraded National Highway 1A. Having an area of 823 km2 in total and with around 1.038 million populations, it is the smallest province of the Delta. The first section explains provides an outline of migration in Mai Thon village which focuses on their remittance behaviors. The second section discusses the key findings, which focus on the impact of migration on labour division, land use and agricultural activities patterns. This section highlights that, irrespective of how rural livelihoods have changed, farming remains a vital component. In order to understand the interaction between migration and agricultural production adequately, it is necessary to consider local and geographical contexts of the rural place.