Assessing the impact of salinity intrusion on cultivation activities in Ho Chi Minh city

Abstract

Salinity Intrusion (SI) has been affecting agricultural production in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), such as: reducing productivity, degrading land, and increasing the costs... This study has focused on assessing the impact of SI on farming activities in HCMCy; through a questionnaire survey designed for farming households producing the following crops: rice, apricot trees, annual crops (corn, vegetables, sugarcane), perennial crops (mango, orange, grapefruit, longan, rambutan); in four specific regions: Hoc Mon - North Binh Chanh, South Binh Chanh, right bank of Saigon River, and Can Gio. Investigated results from 310 questionnaires collected corresponding to the event of SI in the 2024 dry season, showed that the rice and apricot tree groups are most seriously affected by XNM in the 2024 dry season. In detail, 85.71% of rice growing households and 87% of apricot growing households reported damage due to SI, while annual and perennial crop groups were insignificantly affected. For apricot trees, a higher level of damage was recorded in the Bac Binh Chanh area; corresponding salt concentration > 4‰ accounts for the highest proportion (58% of households), causing many apricot trees to weaken, the leaves became yellow, and died; leading to a decrease in commercial value. For rice, the damaged rice area mainly was ≤ 1 ha (31% of households), but productivity decreased sharply, with 53% of households having output ≤ 50 tons/year. In addition, annual crops such as vegetables and sugarcane are not significantly affected because people have experience in dealing with SI and choose the time to irrigate when the fresh water is suistable. The research results can contribute to supporting natural disaster prevention and sustainable socio-economic development in Ho Chi Minh City