One Size Does Not Fit All: Planting Calendar as an Adaptation Strategy in the Mekong Delta

Abstract

Climate change and extreme weather significantly affect farmers’ livelihoods and human security in developing countries. Different adaptation strategies have been implemented to mitigate negative climate impacts, including the development of early warning systems and recommended crop calendar adjustments in response to adverse forecasts. In the Mekong Delta, adjusting the planting date is expected to help rice farmers avoid harmful salinity inundation windows, and minimize damage due to drought and salinity intrusion. Using a 3-year panel survey data of 775 households from 2018 to 2020, this paper assesses the association between government rice planting date recommendations and farmers’ yield and income. Random effect panel model results reveal that adapting planting dates based on governmental recommendations is associated with increases in rice yields and profits, but only for fields protected by salinity barrier gates. Fields without gate protection are more vulnerable to salinity intrusion, yet the planting date recommendation does not have a significant correlation with production outcomes. Overall, while changes in planting dates improve livelihoods for rice farmers, current recommendations seem to be tailored to intensive rice production areas protected by salinity barriers. The result points to the importance of ensuring that information on how to adapt to climate change accounts for heterogeneity in environmental and production conditions.