Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta
Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in rural communities of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta is under threat due to climate change, agricultural modernization, and migration, which are reshaping local livelihoods.
TEK is a valuable body of knowledge that evolves through experimentation, learning, and interaction with environments, supporting resource-based livelihoods and valued across diverse cultural contexts.
It shapes ways of life, norms, values and the ‘living with floods’ cultures of rural communities.
Local examples, such as fish trap making, illustrate how TEK has evolved through communities' interactions with water environments and their everyday livelihoods.
However, some argue that TEK may be less useful in the context of changing waterscapes and technological development in the Mekong region.
Author's summary: TEK is threatened in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.