At the Workshop, Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that MCRP program is supported by GIZ Vietnam and the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. It has been implemented in 13 provinces of the Mekong Delta region since 2019.

Domestic and foreign delegates participated in the Workshop.

The Program focuses on 4 main areas including supporting the establishment of an institutional framework to promote linkages for the Mekong Delta region towards sustainable development and adaptation to climate change; Strengthening planning/investment planning to manage urban and rural water in the Mekong Delta region to adapt to climate change with a focus on gender equality; promoting the application of innovative technology solutions in preventing landslides, riverbank and coastal erosion, and enhancing the climate resilience of rural infrastructure and ecosystems; and deploying sustainable urban drainage and anti-flooding infrastructure solutions, adapted to climate change.

So far, the MCRP program has achieved many positive results, namely: 5 forums on water management and sustainable development of the shrimp farming industry; guidance on planning for provinces (3 provinces have announced the plan); strengthening natural disaster risk management; improvement in urban drainage management and urban flooding combat; water storage solutions…

Besides, two new technology steel temporary dams built in Ca Mau help to protect 120 hectares of agricultural land from the impact of saltwater intrusion, stabilizing the livelihoods of 80 households. In the meantime, 21 automatic water monitoring stations are installed in Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau. The improved shrimp-rice production model was successfully piloted on 461 hectares, at two shrimp farming cooperatives in Ca Mau.

Speaking at the Workshop, Mr. Jens Schmid-Kreye, Deputy Head of Development Cooperation - Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Vietnam affirmed that the MCRP program is an example of successful cooperation between German and Vietnamese governments.

Vietnamese Ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and 13 localities in the Mekong Delta region have worked closely with the MCRP program and conducted activities in technical cooperation. Thereby, contributing to realizing plans into action and achieving specific results, aiming to build a sustainable development strategy and adapt to climate change for the Mekong Delta region.

According to Sibylle Bachmann, Deputy Director of the Development Cooperation Agency of the Swiss Embassy in Vietnam, enhancing the ability to adapt to climate change in urban areas is a top priority in development cooperation with Vietnam, especially for urban areas in the Mekong Delta region. Switzerland commits to continue supporting and accompanying Vietnam for a future of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change.

At the Workshop, delegates were introduced to an overview of Phase 2 of the MCRP program and heard MCRP/GIZ representatives present the planning framework for implementing the main contents of the program related to regional coordination institutions, climate-resilient urban areas, rural ecosystems, and livelihoods (aquaculture), mainstreaming gender equality, water management and coastal protection, etc.

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