World Food Policy
The Evolution of Freshwater
Aquaculture in Food
Production Systems
fish ponds, livestock, and orchards have
moved from the residence areas to the
rice field areas and developed a more
commercial orientation under the im-
n recent years, the food production pact of urbanization and socio-eco-
system in Hai Duong has changed nomic changes.
significantly. In spite of engaging
The traditional VAC model was
principally in farming activities, the understood and initially developed in
output of cereal production showed a 1980s, although it was not a far-reach-
downward trend before increasing to ing system with closed nutrient food
842,826 tons in 2000. In contrast, vege- flows. In just over a decade, the achieve-
table and fruit crops, livestock produc- ments of the system were undeniable; it
tion, and fish production grew positive- provided a large quantity of food and
ly in their annual gross outputs. These foodstuffs to farmers in rural areas.
outcomes resulted from the strong Thus, the statistical data, records, and
movement to develop the VAC systems’ information prove that the gross output
components in the province (see Fig- of vegetables and fruit crops rose also
ures 3 and 4). Along with this process, from 315 and 51 thousand tons in 1997
the traditional VAC system (model) has to 657 and 192 thousand tons in 2014,
been modified and improved in other respectively; and this was in addition to
“hybrid” aquaculture systems in which strongly developed animal husbandry
I
Figure 3. Changes in the Gross Output of Different Crop Cultivation
in Hai Duong (1997–2014)
Source: Hai Duong Statistics Office.
44