Developing the sustainable animal production to improve income and adapt to the climate changes
in the Mekong delta

Mekong delta (MD) of Vietnam is a main region of agricultural production for national food security and
exportation. In recent years in the Mekong delta (MD) of Viet Nam animal production has faced many difficulties such as the adverse affects of climate changes, increased grain prices, serious outbreaks, limited exportation, reduced product prices, etc. As a result producers have suffered from economic loss and have had to reduce production. There is abviously a lack of arable land areas for farmers, meaning that for every 0.30 to 0.50 ha per household, while 2-3 crops of rice per year is produced in the MD. Thus the improvement of income for every household or landless families by crop production is extremely difficult. Although the products of animal production are always at the top in production values for many developed countries as well as an increasing demand of them in Viet Nam and the MD, animal production is much lower than crop production in terms of contribution towards agricultural income.
Although there are many advantages for animal production in the MD such as fertile soils, good climate, available fresh water, abundant plant and animal species, available labours, experiences of animal husbandry, the poor investments, lack of marketing, unapproriate technologies, unsuitable breeds used, lack of local feed production, limited veterinary activites, and environmental pollution of animal waste cause the current models of animal production to be an unsustainable practice. In order to improve animal production development solutions such as a stronger policy of investments, orientation development plan and better marketing, improvement of local feed source production, suitable breeds and diversification, appropriate technologies, organic farming and environmental protection should be made available for the producers in the MD in addition to material incentives.

Keywords: reorientation, livestock production, green house gas, diseases, sustainability