TranHong Viet made this remark during a workshop in the province onSeptember 10, outlining the 2016-2020 programmes’ focus on developingsubmerged forests and adaptive cultivation models.
Together with the central province of Quang Nam , Ben Tre isreceiving 140 billion VND (9.3 million USD) in official developmentassistance from the Danish Government to carry out climate changeresilience projects during the 2010-2015 period.
Thenorthern European country also offered to provide technical assistanceand policy advice to address seawater intrusion and sea level rise, ViceChairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Cao Van Trong said.
He said it was important to enhance regional cooperation in coping with the impact of environmental change.
Participants also highlighted local adaptation measures, such asdeveloping salt-resistant rice, implementing agricultural models thatcombine rice cultivation and shrimp farming, and integrating climatechange adaptation into social-economic development, especially in theagricultural and transport sectors.
According to theMinistry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Ben Tre is one ofthe provinces most vulnerable to climate change.
Scientists predict that a one-metre rise in sea level could result in 70percent of the Mekong Delta being affected by saltwater intrusion. As aresult, Vietnam would lose two million hectares of farmland, andmany coastal localities would be flooded.-VNA