Experts pointed out that if the sea level rises by 1 meter, 40 percent of the Mekong Delta will become inundated. The increased flood risk, along with increasing levels of saltwater intrusion in the region pose a real threat to agricultural output. This is a serious problem, as agriculture is the primary source of livelihood in the Mekong Delta, where roughly half of all food in Vietnam is produced. Currently, the Mekong Delta is one of the areas most affected by climate change. 18 million residents and over 28,000 local enterprises are forecast to be affected.