Vietnam's Agriculture

"A Hamlet Lane"

"Collective Field Ploughing"

29 Nov 2013 | From Muchu of Vietnam

FACEBOOK SWAP (8 of 14 postcards)

Agricultural production is the backbone of Vietnam's main development strategy. Vietnam has been, for much of its history, a predominantly agricultural civilization based on wet rice cultivation. However, the Vietnam War destroyed much of the country's agrarian economy, leading the post-war government to implement a planned economy to revitalise agriculture and industrialise the nation. Agriculture's share of Vietnam's GDP has fallen in recent decades, declining from 42% in 1989 to 20% in 2006, as production in other sectors of the economy has risen.

Foremost among Vietnam's agricultural troubles was exceptionally adverse weather, including a drought in 1977 and major typhoons and widespread flooding in 1978.