Climate change adaptation in Mekong Delta
VOV.VN - Climate change has affected the production and lives of people in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s rice bowl. Appropriate models for adapting to climate change have become an urgent need for the region.
As a result of climate change, droughts and saline intrusion are causing huge losses to Mekong Delta provinces.
One of the most promising responses is crop restructuring using technological advances to adapt to climate change. Local farmers will plant rice on 1.67 million hectares for the coming summer-autumn crop.
To avoid losses, a specific plan for each rice field will be needed to ensure a fresh water supply and minimize saline intrusion.
Associate Professor Doctor Mai Thanh Phung of the National Agricultural Extension Center said, “We need to make water supply calculations from which to devise appropriate scenarios for specific crops and livestock breeding. Rice harvests may be delayed if there is no rain.”
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Climate change has posed grave challenges to the people’s livelihood. Mekong delta provinces have stepped up communication programs and encouraged innovation to help deal with climate change.
Can Tho University has implemented an organic waste treatment model in An Phuc commune, Bac Lieu province. The model has helped local farmers produce fertilizer for agricultural production.
Nguyen Van Hieu, a student at Can Tho University, noted, “We’ve taught farmers to differentiate organic and non-organic wastes. Organic wastes can be burned and buried to produce fertilizer."
"The model has been applied to 30 households and a primary school. It has been in place for a month and wastes are being decomposed into fertilizer,” he added.
According to climate change scenarios for Vietnam, the average temperature in the Mekong Delta will rise 1-3 degrees Celsius and the sea water level will increase 66-99cm by the end of the century.
If the sea water level increases 1 meter, 39% of the Mekong Delta’s area will be submerged and 35% of its population will be affected.
