VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is calling for nearly $1 billion of investment in projects to cope with climate change, including $30-40 million for the greenhouse emission program.

The information was released by Mr. Dinh Vu Thanh, deputy director of the MARD’s Department of Science, Technology and Environment at the workshop "Vietnam's Agriculture Adaptation to Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges" that took place in Hanoi yesterday.

Thanh said greenhouse emissions from agriculture still accounts for the highest proportion - 43.1 percent, of which rice cultivation contributes 57.5 percent, agricultural land use 21.8 percent, livestock and animal waste 11.9 percent.

In the period of 2008 - 2012, the sector adopted many measures to adapt to climate change and reduce GHG emissions, such as the application of good agricultural practices (VietGAP) in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; adjustment of crop structure and crop varieties; implementing the model of rice - shrimp in the Mekong Delta, etc.

The sector has developed plans to ensure 3.8 million hectares of rice land, of which 3.2 million hectares of two-crop land, to ensure national food security.

Livestock sector has promoted the application of biogas works. There are around 500,000 biogas projects across the country, of which 170,000 works with the MARD’s direct technical assistance and subsidies. VietGAP process is applied in animal husbandry.

For prevention and mitigation of natural disasters, the MARD has built anti-flood plans for major cities such as HCM City, Hanoi, Can Tho, Ca Mau and Hai Phong. Many measures to prevent the impacts of climate change and sea level rise are integrated into the programs to upgrade sea dikes from Quang Ninh to Quang Nam and Quang Ngai to Kien Giang.

In order to cope with climate change, a series of projects were implemented in the period 2008-2012 with a total capital amounted to $567.7 million, which were largely funded by international partners such as the World Bank (WB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), The US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Governments of Australia, Germany and Norway, etc.

In the plan to reduce GHG emissions in agriculture and rural areas to 2020, Vietnam aims to reduce 20 percent of GHG emissions in agriculture and rural areas, equivalent to 18.87 million tons of CO2e.

To achieve this goal, the MARD is seeking investment in a wide range of projects in the 2013-2015 period with a total investment of approximately $935.5 million from international partners such as the WB, ADB and the Government of Japan.

Na Son