A workshop was held in Can Tho city on January 10 to seek measures to conserve water for agriculture and daily use in the Mekong Delta given the severe drought and saltwater intrusion.
Can Tho (VNA) – A workshop was held in Can Tho city on January 10 to seekmeasures to conserve water for agriculture and daily use in the Mekong Deltagiven the severe drought and saltwater intrusion.
DeputyMinister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan said the event aimsto support the government and localities to build strategies in the field.
Participantsdiscussed water resources management, flood control, irrigation, andsustainable livelihoods in the context of climate change.
DutchAmbassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster underlined the strategic partnershipbetween Vietnam and the Netherlands in climate change adaptation and waterresources management.
TheNetherlands is working with its partners to provide the most effectiveassistance for Vietnam to cope with changes in the Mekong Delta, she said.
According tothe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Mekong Delta is home to about800,000 hectares of rice.
The constructionof hydropower plants in the lower part of the Mekong River has reduced waterflows in the dry season, and affected water quality, said an environmentalist.
Deputy headof the Research Institute for Climate Change under Can Tho University LeAnh Tuan suggested seeking ways to prevent or drain flood water out to sea, andregard it as a necessary natural resource in case of droughts and saltwaterintrusion.
Hesaid the Mekong River Commission plays a significant role in sharing water resources amongcountries in the region.
Herecommended stopping the expansion of embankments, especially in impoverishedor contaminated areas, while ensuring livelihoods for locals in flood-proneareas and rehabilitating groundwater – which is overexploited.
Regionalconnectivity and water resources sharing should be promoted in Dong Thap, LongAn and Tien Giang, then expanded to other localities.
Theretention and regulation of water for the Mekong Delta in Dong Thap Muoi (Plainof Reeds) area is important to help the region cope with droughts and salinity,Professor Vo Tong Xuan said.
Theworkshop “Sustainable water retention solutions for the Mekong Delta” wasorganised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, theNetherlands’ Embassy in Vietnam, and the German development cooperation agencyGIZ.-VNA
The pursuance of private goals in the use of Mekong River water resources could make countries miss chances to optimise their mutual benefits to ensure energy, water, food, and ecological security.
Drought and saltwater intrusion in Vietnam’s southern region will be less severe in the 2016-2017 dry season, said the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Many provinces in the Mekong Delta are taking measures to secure freshwater for farming and household use since drought and saltwater intrusion is expected to be severe in the 2016-17 dry season.
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
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Drought in Mekong Delta (Photo: VNA)
