The interplay of climate change, upstream hydropower development, and local water engineering interventions for agricultural production contributes substantially to the transformation of waterscapes and water scarcity in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. This paper aims to examine how these dynamics are linked to the paradigm shift in water management in An Giang and Ben Tre, the two ecologically distinct provinces that face serious water scarcity in the delta. We used the adaptive management concept to examine how state-led policy directions from food security towards water security enable change in water management that gives priority to water retention. While policy learning is evident, questions remain about how this ad-hoc solution could help address the presently acute water scarcity and water security over the long term. The paper advocates achieving water security should focus not only on diplomatic interventions into upstream climate-development complexities but also local water-livelihood politics.

气候变化、上游水电开发以及当地农业生产水利工程干预措施的相互作用，极大地促进了越南湄公河三角洲水景的转变和水资源短缺。本文旨在研究这些动态如何与安江省和槟椥省这两个生态截然不同的省份的水资源管理范式转变联系起来，这两个省份面临三角洲严重的水资源短缺。我们使用适应性管理概念来研究国家主导的从粮食安全到水安全的政策方向如何实现优先考虑保水的水管理变革。虽然政策学习是显而易见的，但从长远来看，这一临时解决方案如何帮助解决目前严重的水资源短缺和水安全问题仍然存在。该文件主张，实现水安全不仅应关注对上游气候发展复杂性的外交干预，还应关注当地的水生计政治。