Building a Climate-Resilient Viet Nam: Strengthening Women’s Role in Agriculture and Leadership

Jun 20, 2025 | Caroline Nyamayemombe and ITO Naoki
UN Women
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As one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Viet Nam is facing an escalating climate crisis. Rising sea levels and increasingly severe disasters threaten not only its stunning landscapes but also the lives and livelihoods of millions of its people, from urban centers to mountainous regions and coastal areas.

The Mekong Delta, a vital agricultural hub, exemplifies this vulnerability, grappling with drought, rising sea levels, and saltwater intrusion. Typhoon Yagi was yet another harsh reminder of Viet Nam’s growing battle against climate-related disasters. According to the Viet Nam Multi-Sector Assessment Report, the disaster caused extensive damage in 26 provinces, resulting in 320 deaths. The agricultural sector, which sustains many rural communities, was hit particularly hard, exacerbating economic hardships.

Amidst these challenges, women are disproportionately affected. On a visit to Ca Mau in November 2024, Nguyen Thuy Huynh, a 39-year-old farmer from Khanh Binh Tay commune, shared: “I have to collect water to irrigate crops by hand. These tasks are time-consuming and exhausting, especially in the dry season.” In many rural households, access to clean water is a daily struggle, with women bearing the burden of managing limited supplies. Additionally, restricted access to financial resources, technology, and land ownership makes it harder for them to sustain agricultural livelihoods.