This reality has created an urgent demand for a shift in production mindset, where the flexible conversion of crop structures on rice land is becoming a highly suitable direction. Currently, the villages of Háng Lìa A and Háng Lìa B in Tìa Dình commune possess nearly 40 hectares of paddy land, yet the majority can only support a single seasonal crop, as the winter-spring season is often left fallow due to water shortages. Vàng A Mua, the head of Háng Lìa A village, noted that residents had tried double-cropping rice several times, but insufficient water led to poor growth and low efficiency.

Faced with this situation, the Tìa Dình commune authorities conducted a survey in October 2025 and launched a trial model converting 2.2 hectares of rice land to potato cultivation. By February 2026, the harvest reached a yield of 15 tons per hectare.

Nguyễn Đức Đô, Vice Chairman of the Tìa Dình People’s Committee, observed that the trial proved potatoes are well-suited to the local climate and soil. The commune is now actively surveying other areas to transition to crops like peanuts, coffee, and macadamia while encouraging residents to expand potato cultivation on single-crop rice land. Ly Thị Bấu, a pioneer in Háng Lìa A, shared that her 5,000 square meters of converted land yielded high economic value, prompting her to plan further expansions to avoid leaving the land barren.

The shift is not limited to the highlands; in the Mường Thanh basin, many double-crop rice areas are also suffering from drought and rising production costs. In response, numerous households have boldly switched to vegetables and cash crops with high economic returns.

Nguyễn Thị Dương from Yên Trường village, Thanh Yên commune, began her transition in 2020 by converting 3,000 square meters to sticky corn. After seeing the success, she converted her entire 1.6-hectare farm to corn and jicama in 2022. She reported that her economic efficiency has increased threefold compared to rice farming. Similarly, during the 2025-2026 winter-spring season, Lê Minh Hiếu from C2 village converted over 1 hectare of rice land to vegetables like bitter melon and wax gourd, which yielded profits five to six times higher than rice while requiring significantly less water.

The provincial authorities view this adjustment of crop structures as the “key” to climate change adaptation. Each year, localities proactively review areas at risk of water shortages to build appropriate conversion plans. In 2025, the entire province converted 947.68 hectares of rice land, including 444.77 hectares transitioned to perennial crops. For 2026, the target is to convert 1,561.35 hectares of upland, single-crop, and specialized rice land into annual and perennial crops. Localities are prioritizing crop varieties that are drought and cold-resistant to minimize production risks.

According to assessments from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, restructuring rice land has helped adapt to climate change while increasing income per unit area by three to five times. In the context of increasingly complex weather patterns, Điện Biên province continues to plan production regions that align with climate, soil, and water resources. The province is also stepping up the application of science and technology to select highly adaptable seeds. Local governments are increasing support for farmers in terms of techniques, capital, and market links to establish concentrated and sustainable commodity production zones. These efforts aim to enhance land-use efficiency and build a flexible, stable agricultural sector amidst the growing pressures of climate change.