AsemconnectVietnam - PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc partook in the 2016 Mekong Delta Forum entitled “ Committed to a Prosperous and Climate Resilient Mekong Delta,” in HCM City on June 27 to discuss solutions to critical challenges.

 The two-day event was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Australian and Holland Embassies in Viet Nam, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the International Union for Conservation ofNature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

Addressing the event, PM Phuc emphasized that the Mekong Delta is looking to have an intelligent, sustainable, and high value agriculture in Southeast Asia and Asia in the future.

The Mekong Delta is the largest granary in Viet Nam which accounts for 90% of total rice output and a fifth of global paddy productivity. The decrease in paddy output not only affects Viet Nam but also global food prices and food security.

Hence, PM Phuc recommended financial institutions and international partners work together with the Vietnamese Government and people to prevent, control and deal with droughts and floods caused by climate change.  

According to the Government chief, the socio-economic performance in the Mekong Delta Region failed to fully tap its potentials and local people still faced numerous difficulties.

PM Phuc called on regional localities to alter crop plants and animals and restructure agriculture in a sustainable manner.

He tasked the  South West Steering Committee to boost regional connectivity; uphold strength possessed by each locality; and convert Can Tho into the centre of the West.

The PM proposed the local authorities to invest in scientific research work and biological applications into aquatic, paddy, and fruit cultivation.  

PM Phuc took the occasion to suggest the WB expand preferential credit and dispatch experienced experts to assist Viet Nam in weather forecast;  assessment of water resources, floods, landslides; building of climate change and sea level rise monitoring networks; regional development senarior creation; human resource development; and governance in response to climate change.

Viet Nam commits to working with the WB, foreign partners, and international organizations to resolve emerging problems in the Mekong Delta Region, affirmed PM Phuc.

Ms Victoria Kwakwa assessed that the ongoing climate change and saltwater intrusion have strongly impacted lives and production of over 15 million people in the Mekong Delta Region. The serious challenges required strong coordination of partners, international organizations, and Vietnamese agencies.

“The forum is  appropriate for international partners to join hands with Vietnamese agencies to figure out solutions for the region to develop in a sustainable manner in the future,” she said.

The Mekong Delta Region plays an important role in Viet Nam’s development in particular and regional food security generally. However, changes caused by natural and human factors have imposed pressure on regional development, including land slide (around 3-5 cms per year) and rising sea level which resulted in flooding.

Saltwater intrusion in coastal areas hamper people’s lives and water supply. In addition, population growth, urbanization, fast agricultural and industrial development also caused heavy impacts on natural resources and water quality. The building of hydro-electric plants and irrigation dykes in the upper reaches also influenced flow, natural sedimentation cycle, and  fish migration flows.  

In the long-term, residents along the Mekong Delta coastal area were forecast to cope with heavy impacts of climate change, including rising sea level and tropical storms. Paddy production would decrease by 6-12% due to floods and saltwater intrusion./.

By Kim Loan

 Source: Chinhphu.vn