Food security and energy development in Viet Nam

Food security and energy development in Viet Nam

Viet Nam - 18 January, 2012

The economic structure of Vietnam has drastically shifted since the mid 1980's from an agriculture based system to one that is multi-based.

This rapid increase of industrialization and modernization has severely increased the demand for energy all over the country. In order to secure this demand and support economic development, several policies and initiatives have been implemented including wind-power, fossil fuel-based energy, nuclear energy, hydropower, and imports from neighboring countries. As a result from the construction of these new energy creation sites, many communities have been displaced from the land they have lived on for many generations. The government and energy industries give funds to these communities so that they can adapt to their new living conditions, but the funds are only short-term, and today many people are struggling to feed themselves and their families. The compensation has not replaced the loss of land.

Along with two colleagues, TBI's PhD researcher Tran Nam Tu writes about this dilemma in an article published in an IIAS 'theNewsletter' special issue on food security and landgrabbing.

Read more: http://www.iias.nl/the-newsletter/article/food-security-and-energy-development-vietnam