A climate change adaptation project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) kicked off in Tra Vinh province on July 25. The project will be implemented from 2014 to 2020 in 30 villages of 7 districts in the province, benefiting 15,000 poor households. Its total investment is VND521 billion, of which VND233.5 billion is sourced from an IFAD loan, VND126.5 billion comes from IFAD non-refundable aid, VND79.5 billion is from the Vietnamese Government and VND81.5 billion is contributed by beneficiaries. The project aims to build sustainable livelihoods for poor rural people in the context of changeable environment and improve their ability to adapt to climate change impact. Beneficial localities will be assisted in building management mechanism for climate change adaptation in agriculture and rural areas, making socio-economic plan in combination with climate factors, managing natural disasters’ risks and community-based adaptation, developing infrastructure and conducting research on sustainable agricultural production models. It will set up support funds to help poor households access preferential loans for production to escape poverty sustainably. Tra Vinh is most vulnerable to climate change in the Mekong Delta region. During the 2011-2013 period, whirlwinds, tidal surges, salt infiltration and coastal erosion caused an estimated property loss of more than VND325 billion. The province has invested VND10 billion in fortifying its sea dykes and preventing landslides, however, climate change has caused increased saltwater intrusion, coastal erosion, tidal surges, landslides, and droughts, threatening agricultural production and aquaculture. (Vov.vn July 25)
