People grow mangroves in Tra Vinh Province in the Mekong Delta region. Mangroves have an important role in climate adaptation. (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the June 10 workshop, Head of the International Cooperation Department NguyenDo Anh Tuan said the Mekong Delta region iss at the forefront of climate changeadaptation in Vietnam.
The region has strengthened measures to enhance forest management as well asclimate change adaptation and sustainable development with support frominternational partners.
The workshop is expected to raise awareness of mangrove afforestation andprotection for the alignment of planning and implementation of mangroveprojects, Tuan said.
It also aims to facilitate a platform where stakeholders at central and locallevels could discuss smooth, effective and efficient cooperation andcoordination.
Highlighting the importance of the forest in climate change mitigation andadaptation, Paul Bergsma, from the consultancy firm Royal Haskoning DHV, saidmangroves have helped protect the coasts against natural disasters such asstorms while increasing resilience and adaptation to climate change.
He said: “The success of the approach to mangrove restoration depends mainly onthe sediment supply and stability, tidal hydrology, community participation andland tenure consideration.”
Tran Cong Hung from the Management Board for Forestry Projects said themangrove belt and the coastal zone of the Mekong Delta have been in a seriousstate of degradation.
The degradation has been caused by a range of factors including lack ofsediment, and the land use in the coastal zone pressing the dike seaward, hesaid.
The inadequate water management and overexploitation of groundwater resultingin land subsidence along with the inland shrimp farming have also contributedto the degradation of mangroves in the region, the official said.
The workshop themed 'mangrove afforestation in the Mekong Delta for sustainablecoastal resilience' was co-organised by the Netherlands Embassy, the AsianDevelopment Bank (ADB) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development(MARD).
It attracted participants from the agriculture ministry and other relevantministries, central government agencies and coastal provinces in the MekongDelta, and representatives from key international partners including theNetherlands Embassy, ADB, World Wide Fund for Nature and International Unionfor Conservation of Nature.
The ADB and the Government of the Netherlands have committed to supporting Vietnamin strengthening the coastal zones of the Mekong Delta and the resilience ofits inhabitants.
The ministry is currently working on a proposal to restore the naturalenvironment and strengthen coastal protection to increase resilience to theimpacts of climate change in the five coastal provinces of Bac Lieu, Soc Trang,Tra Vinh, Ben Tre and Tien Giang during 2023 - 2029.
The project will apply for ABD loans./.
VNA
