Traditional Ecological Knowledge Under Threat
Rural communities in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta are losing traditional ecological knowledge due to climate change, agricultural modernisation, and migration, which are reshaping local livelihoods.
Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is a vital body of knowledge that supports resource-based livelihoods and is valued across diverse cultural contexts.
It shapes ways of life, norms, values and the ‘living with floods’ cultures of rural communities.
Local narratives of adaptation demonstrate how TEK has evolved through communities' interactions with water environments and their everyday livelihoods, with examples such as fish trap making illustrating this process.
However, some argue that TEK is less useful in the context of changing waterscapes and technological development in the Mekong region.
Author's Summary
Climate change threatens traditional ecological knowledge in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.
- TEK is a living body of knowledge that evolves through experimentation and interaction with environments.
- It plays a vital role in supporting resource-based livelihoods of rural communities.