Livelihood Adaptation of the Khmer People in An Bình Commune, Phú Giáo district, Bình Duong province, Vietnam: From Subsistence Economy to Market Economy

An Bình Commune, Phú Giáo District, Bình D??ng Province, home to the Khmer people, is characterized by a blend of various ethnic groups. Historically, the Khmer lived primarily in the dense forests and stream valleys of Bình Ph??c Province. However, since 1959, amid the context of war, they migrated to An Bình and began integrating with other ethnic groups. In response to fluctuating production environments and unstable markets, the Khmer in An Bình have developed adaptive strategies to sustain their livelihoods. Traditional subsistence activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry, and natural resource exploitation have been adjusted to fit the new environment. Notably, since 1998, the transition from cultivating food crops to industrial crops such as rubber and cashew has marked a significant shift in the Khmer livelihood, moving from a subsistence economy to a market economy. This transformation has allowed the Khmer to accumulate capital, expand production, and stabilize their living conditions, although challenges related to price volatility and weather conditions persist. Traditional activities have been replaced or converted to market-oriented activities such as rubber and cashew cultivation and wage labor. This study, through in-depth interviews and participant observation, will analyze the livelihood adaptation of the Khmer in An Bình within the context of current integration and propose solutions for sustainable livelihood development in the future.