The bitter sweet taste of urban expansion and its effect on food security in the peri-urban areas of Hué, Vietnam.

Abstract

Agriculture on the fringes of cities across the globe is increasingly perceived as making an important contribution to urban sustainability. As Vietnamese cities continue to expand and encroach on their peri-urban peripheries, there is a rising concern about loss of farmland to housing. Compulsory land acquisition is one of the most challenging questions in land management. It is undesired by the farmers, as they are being dispossessed of their land. The issue of compensation payable in respect to the acquisition is also alarming since the affected farmers are still dissatisfied with the compensation package as it affects their livelihoods and food security.

This study focusses on urban growth in Xuân Hòa village in Thừa Thiên-Huế province which is a peri-urban area in central Vietnam. The researcher looks at the effect of urban growth on the livelihoods, compensation and food security of (former) farming households in Xuân Hòa. Currently, not much is known about food security in peri-urban areas and in particular the shifts in the mobility of consumption in those areas. In this study, the types of land loss shocks are investigated and their effects on food security, as are coping strategies. In addition to the four pillars of food security - availability; accessibility; utilization and stability – the study also includes overconsumption as food insecurity.