The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on May 15 launched a project to strengthen livelihoods and resilience to climate change of poor people in the Mekong Delta provinces of Ben Tre and Tra Vinh. The organization will provide $34 million out of the project’s total capital of $49.3 million for the two localities. The project, which targets poor communities, particularly ethnic minority and female-headed households, will be implemented in 30 communes in each province from now until 2020. It will work to develop climate-resilient agricultural systems, salinity-tolerant fish varieties and off-farm livelihood opportunities. The project will also promote climate-sensitive planning to rationalize budgetary allocations and provide financing for upgrading infrastructure. The Mekong Delta region, Vietnam’s rice granary, is among the three large deltas in the world worst threatened by climate change. Since 1979, IFAD has invested over $280 million in 12 programs and projects in Vietnam, benefiting more than 507,900 households. (vietnamplus.vn May 16)
