Agricultural Land Acquisition and Its Challenges to Household Livelihood Resources: Evidence from Thai Binh, Vietnam

This study examines the socio-economic impacts of land acquisition driven by rapid infrastructure expansion and urbanization in Thai Binh province, Vietnam. The data were gathered from eight communes of four districts in Thai-Binh province (Dong-Hung, Tien-Hai, Hung-Ha, and Thai-Binh), where land acquisition occurred between 2015 and 2020. 372 households whose land had been recovered were randomly selected from the commune areas selected for the survey. Using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) as an analytical framework, this study has combined upon index systems of Hahn (2009) and Huang et al. (2017) to develop a comprehensive index for assessing the livelihood vulnerability of households whose land has been partially acquired, taking into account the nature of the impact. A total of 26 indicators and 10 major components were included in the SLF framework for analysis to clarify regional vulnerabilities to land acquisition at the household level. The findings reveal that (1) compensation programs for land expropriation are insufficient in alleviating household vulnerabilities, (2) households must adopt diversified strategies for securing land by balancing customary institutions with state regulatory frameworks, (3) fostering strong social networks at both community and societal levels is essential for sharing knowledge, experiences, and economic opportunities, and (4) policymakers should prioritize expanding non-agricultural employment and implementing vocational training programs tailored to the specific socio-economic conditions of affected communities.