Project description / Projektkurzbeschreibung Title Client Country Lead executing agency Overall term Keywords Teaser PN Contact Adaption

to Climate Change through the promotion of Biodiversity in Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Provincial Peoples Committee of Bac Lieu (PPC) 2010-2014 Coastal Zone Management, Mekong Delta, Climate Change adaptation, Natural Resource Management Climate Change adaption of a highly vulnerable coastline 2010.9078.6 Mr Joachim Hofer joachim.hofer@giz.de Context / Ausgangssituation Bac Lieu Province is located on the south-eastern coast of the Mekong Delta. Its coastline is one of those most severely threatened by Climate Change. Not only important agriculture and aquaculture production are at stake but also the lives of many 100.000 people including poor and marginalized groups. Short term economic interests, resource overutilization and population increase have lead to a vicious circle of decreasing local income and increasing dependency on coastal resources. The reduction of coastal forest cover results in diminished coastal protection and climate change resilience. Changing precipitation patterns with rising sea levels are already leading to salt water intrusion up to 70km inland and resulting in crop failure. A seldom feature in the Mekong Delta is Bac Lieus Bird Sanctuary, a protective area that has existed since over 100 years but due to its small area and anthropogenic intervention its ecological functionality is diminished. Objective / Ziel Enhance the protective effect of coastal forests through the sustainable use of resources and the promotion of biodiversity Approach / Vorgehensweise The project advises and supports the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Forest Protection Department, and the Provincial Peoples Committee of Bac Lieu Province in the development of protective mechanisms for the coastal zone, rehabilitation of the mangrove forests and the implementation of Climate Change adaptation. Emphasis is put on afforestation and diversification of the coastal protective forest in order to increase its resilience to Climate Change and to decrease erosion. The shortcomings and
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potentials of the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary are addressed to create a biodiversity hot spot for future spill over. Through the implementation of adapted production methods (sustainable aquaculture and introduction of salt tolerant rice species) and alternative income opportunities for farmers and landless coastal residents their dependence on the natural resources is reduced, taking pressure off the mangrove belt. To ensure sustainability and trigger a habitual change, curricula development for environmental education in schools is supported as well as capacity development activities for local authorities. Results achieved so far / Wirkung Was bisher erreicht wurde Together with the Bac Lieu Aquaculture Research Station (BLESA) pilot sites for different integrated production models have been established. Mixed Mangrove-aquaculture reduces the production risk for the farmer (through the trees filter and buffer function) and increases the coastal protection forest. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) simultaneously started a research program for the introduction of tailored salttolerant rice varieties. The AusAid financed Climate Change Affecting Land Use in Mekong Delta: Adaptation of Rice-Based Cropping Systems (CLUES)-project picked Bac Lieu as pilot province. Both projects intensively cooperate, whereas CLUES focus on research and initial field trials and the BMU-project promotes the wide disemination and implementation of the new varieties into the agricultural practice within the projet region. These gained synergies enabled both projects to set more ambitious targets. The conflictive process of identifying agricultural land for renaturation was initiated and the first 100 hectares reforested as well as further 100 hectares diversified with rare Mangrove species. A method to replant strongly degraded soil has been developed and implemented on trial sites. All seedlings are raised in a specially established nursery which is constantly expanding focusing on formerly endemic species. On a patch of diverse natural coastal forest an arboretum was established to serve as a gene bank and for environmental education activities. These processes were jointly initiated with the provincial Forestry Department and mediated by the project. A management plan for the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary was developed in a participatory manner with scientific support and is now being implemented. In order to develop adapted teaching material for secondary- and highschools, teacher-working groups were successfully established. Environmental education content focusing on adaption to Climate Change and Biodiveristiy to expand the curriculum of Biologiy, Geography and Social studies are beeing developed by these working groups. First trials with the upgraded
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lesson plans were already held in Bac Lieu. A conference for the inter-provincial experience exchange on the participatory approach on environmental education curricula development had been held in February 2012. General public environmental awareness rising is achieved through media presence, triggered by campaigns such as drawing and photo competitions or extracurricular activities in the Bird Sanctuary.

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