A new World Bank report titled “Living or Leaving: Life in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam” finds that growing environmental stress and economic pressures are fundamentally reshaping the Mekong Delta and calls for a people-centered development strategy to protect livelihoods and sustain long-term growth. Based on updated household and labor market data, the report emphasizes the need to invest in skills development, modern infrastructure and resilient, higher-value agriculture to help the region adapt while maintaining its role as Viet Nam’s agricultural heartland.
The report highlights that climate-related challenges such as recurrent droughts, saltwater intrusion, flooding and extreme heat have significantly reduced farm incomes since 2018. These pressures have contributed to the migration of nearly 1.7 million people from the Delta over the past decade as households search for more secure livelihoods. However, the findings show that migration alone is not a reliable safety net, as only a portion of migrant households receive remittances, and many of these transfers are too small to lift families out of poverty.
At the same time, the Mekong Delta’s economic importance has declined, with its share of national GDP falling sharply over the past two decades and foreign direct investment remaining limited. This erosion underscores the urgency of rethinking development policies to better align the region with Viet Nam’s broader economic transformation while addressing its growing vulnerabilities.
The report argues that future policies should prioritize people as much as physical assets by strengthening education, skills and adaptability so residents can thrive whether they remain in the Delta or seek opportunities elsewhere. It stresses the importance of enabling mobility, improving productivity and supporting households facing shocks in a more volatile climate and economic environment.
To achieve this, the World Bank recommends expanding skills training for higher-value employment, transforming agriculture to be more resilient and profitable, upgrading infrastructure to improve connectivity and attract investment, supporting safe and voluntary migration, and strengthening adaptive social protection systems for vulnerable populations. The report was prepared with financial support from the Australian Government through the Australia–World Bank Strategic Partnership.
