Project Notice |
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| PNR | 888 |
| Project Name | Integrated coastal and mangrove forest protection in the Mekong provinces for adaptation to climate |
| Project Detail | The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has identified Viet Nam as one of the countries most severely affected by climate change. Due to its high population densities, the Mekong Delta, which is also known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Viet Nam, is particularly threatened by rising sea levels and the increasing frequency and intensity of flooding and extreme weather. In addition, the groundwater level is continuously falling due to overuse and inappropriate reprocessing. The reduction in biodiversity, particularly in the coastal wetlands, exacerbates the effects of rising sea levels and storm surges, which have already caused widespread saline intrusion. Objective In selected provinces in the Mekong Delta, there is consistent and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems for climate change adaptation and poverty reduction. The respective national and local authorities and their advisory services work together with communities towards this objective. Approach The programme is based on the successes of two projects, one financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and another by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). These projects support sustainable coastal development in the Mekong Delta, and are being implemented together with this programme. In a geographical sense, the overall programme extends across five adjacent Mekong Delta provinces and paves the way for mutually reinforcing and broad impact. The areas of work include: Integration of concepts for adapting to climate change into development planning Protection of rivers and coasts, and rehabilitation of ecosystems Planning and management of coastal ecosystems Promotion of alternative sources of income Water management Conservation of biodiversity The programme is being co-financed by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Results achieved so far In the provinces of Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Kien Giang and An Giang, nearly 11 kilometres of environmentally-friendly, cost-effective coastal and river protection structures were created, or their preservation was ensured, leading to the rehabilitation of approximately 10 hectares of flood plains. These protective measures made it possible to stop erosion rates of up to 15 metres per year. Monitoring activities have indicated a 70 per cent recovery of natural biodiversity levels after four years. Within just 18 months, the biodiversity levels correspond to those of a natural forest. In total, 320 hectares of mangrove forests were rehabilitated and conserved. In the U Minh Thuong National Park (UMT NP), a 30 per cent increase in bird populations was recorded. In addition, the park was awarded the ASEAN Heritage Certificate. Experience derived from the successful pilot activities contributed significantly to improving national policies. There were qualitative improvements to the supported policy developments, both in terms of specialist quality assurance and the drafting process. Multi-sectoral teams from different state institutions and civil society prepared drafts. All promoted measures focused on evidence-based, participatory and representative policy development. Two comprehensive policy packages were initiated at the national level concerning the issues of water/irrigation and forests (coastal forests). The programme has helped to ensure sustainable livelihoods for more than 100 households across 70 hectares. About 60 per cent of the beneficiaries are women, and 20 per cent are from the Khmer ethnic minority. The measures introduced by the programme have led to more than a ten-fold increase in revenue as compared with the average income of women in rural regions. Due to the positive results achieved during the pilot introduction of a local fish species, local authorities in Kien Giang Province have taken up this form of aquaculture. Direct support was provided to 500 farmers on 1,500 hectares during these activities. Additional measures that were primarily derived from successful testing in the BMUB-financed project will now be applied in other provinces: Aquaculture in Bac Lieu Province: expected increase in income of USD 400 per harvest and hectare Cultivation of salt-tolerant rice varieties: expected increase in income of USD 50 per harvest and hectare AWD cultivation of rice: expected increase in income of USD 200 per harvest and hectare Alternate Wet Dry (AWD) cultivation techniques require lower investment: 30 per cent reduction for water and pump energy, 8 per cent for fertiliser, 30 per cent for pesticides. Pilot activities are being conducted on around 330 hectares, with the participation of 1,800 farmers including 250 women. The BMZ-financed project in Soc Trang Province — Management of natural resources in the coastal zone of Soc Trang Province — has reached over 830 households and covers all the coastal districts. There is interest in translating the successful approaches to the other provinces in the coastal and mangrove forest protection project. A national co-management regulation is currently being developed based on this success. More than 6,000 households with over 27,000 individuals have been reached with disaster prevention activities. There has been a long-term reduction in the vulnerability of 650 hectares of agricultural land. The cultivation of salt-tolerant rice varieties has been piloted on a six hectare area and supplemented by training activities. Four kilometres of streets and one-and-a-half kilometres of canal systems have been rehabilitated. This protects residents from flooding and also establishes safe access to medical facilities and markets. In cooperation with the German Red Cross, vulnerability capacity assessments were conducted in order to identify vulnerability and adaptability in terms of climate change. Based on this, training activities and exercises were organised in An Giang and Bac Lieu, and equipment was secured. Emergency mechanisms were thereby strengthened in municipalities and schools. |
| Funded By | Other Funding Agencies |
| Sector | Environment |
| Country | Ghana , Western Africa |
| Project Value | Plz Refer Document |
Contact Information |
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| Company Name | German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) |
| Address | Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche, Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung, Postfach 12 03 22, 53045 Bonn, Germany, Tel: +49/228/99535-0. |
| Web Site | www.bmz.de/en |
