Given the particular ecological conditions, the province of Bac Lieu is focusing on restructuring agricultural production towards proactive adaptation. When drought and salinity are identified as risks, Bac Lieu has turned threats into opportunities. Rice shrimp production in particular is a smart model for adapting to climate change.

Bac Lieu is known as the center of the country’s shrimp industry. In addition to the super-intensive shrimp farming models using high technology, Bac Lieu also has many other unique natural shrimp farming models such as the shrimp forest model and the shrimp rice model. Experts in the field of agriculture refer to the rice-shrimp model as a smart production model because it is a sustainable production model that lives with climate change. Its uniqueness lies in the “love affair” between the rice plant and the shrimp in a land where previously only ghost rice, also known as seasonal rice, could survive.

In the early 2000s, Bac Lieu province switched production from inefficient rice farming to shrimp farming, where shrimp lived on rice land, breaking the rice monoculture that could only grow one crop per year instead of two. Prawns, one rice harvest per year. Since then, a number of new rice varieties have been born in saline areas to make the rice “prettier” and yield almost 7 tons/ha (compared to only 3-4 tons/ha before).

The impact of the rice shrimp model has resulted in production areas north of National Highway 1A changing skin and wearing new brilliant shirts. Many houses, buildings and many transportation routes and irrigation infrastructure are constantly being expanded to serve the agricultural production industry, which is considered a strength for the economic development of the Bac Lieu province.

From small production models, they have developed into large raw material production areas based on the example of large fields. While the area of ​​the rice shrimp model was only about 5,800 ha in 2001, it is now more than 40,000 ha.

One of the reasons that the rice-shrimp production model quickly evolved and was adopted by many farmers is the smart customization and practical benefits that the model brings. The advantage of the rice and shrimp model lies in the variety of products. In addition to the main products of black tiger shrimp, giant freshwater shrimp and rice seed, the model can also use resources for sustainable interim cultivation of other crops and aquatic products, thus helping farmers as a model to increase their income. Rice shrimp model combined with field fish farming, the shrimp square bank vegetable growing model.

Another advantage is that the rice shrimp cultivation system is very environmentally friendly, integrated management solutions are easy to apply, reduces the need to use chemicals in rice production, and has less impact on the environment. Of course, in accordance with the requirements of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and organic production.

In addition, the rice shrimp model can also promote the positive factors of shrimp and rice plants, such as: B. improving the soil, eliminating pests and interrupting the life cycle of pests during growth and development. After a shrimp harvest, the waste is metabolized and absorbed by the rice plants, helping to limit the amount of fertilizer and pesticides used in the early stages.

And after a rice harvest, all kinds of straw and rice dropped from the rice plants left in the field after harvest are decomposed, creating a living environment and a natural source of nutritious food for shrimp in the next breeding season, which farmers use becomes. No need to invest money to buy feed for shrimp like industrial shrimp farming model. As a result, this model helps to reduce production and investment costs and increase productivity and profits.