AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIALIZATION AND FOOD SECURITY IN VIETNAM

Abstract

Since 1990s the bloom of industrialization and urbanization brings the changes ofsocial and economic issue of Vietnam rural areas. During this process, ruralhouseholds have reduced agricultural land for cultivating. From the status of foodproducers now they become food consumers. Through surveying 215 householdsin Bac Ninh province, the study shows that that industrialization and landconversion process affected household food security in several aspects: the lost ofagricultural land and surplus agricultural production decrease; unguaranteed decentwork for peasants and high living cost; the decline of living quality and foodsafety. Food consumption of the family has shifted from self-reliance to the waythat more depend on market which increases food expense propotion on householdbudget. However, spending more on food does not mean satisfied since thesuspiciousness of food quality. Household food security becomes more vulnerable,especially for households that have limited access to land and incapability offinding stable jobs. One of the strategies of rural households is diversify theirlivelihoods, accepted multi-spacial household model. And when income from nonfarmjobs could relatively supply enough their need of cash, they would ratherconsume high quality food than grow and sell high yielding variable. Ruralhouseholds move back to the local traditional agricultural activities to ensure theirown food quality.