Can Tho: More than 2,500 billion VND to implement climate change adaptation project

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, the World Bank is implementing the Integrated Climate Resilience Project for Sustainable Livelihoods in the Mekong Delta (ICRSL - WB9) in the period of 2019-2022 in Cu Lao Dung district (formerly Soc Trang province), now An Thanh and Cu Lao Dung communes (Can Tho city). The project aims to transform the production structure to suit ecological conditions, develop sustainable livelihoods and adapt to climate change. The total investment of the project is more than 942 billion VND, of which the World Bank loan is more than 646 billion VND, and counterpart capital is nearly 280 billion VND.

The project builds a concentrated aquaculture area of about 5,000 hectares, combining coastal protection, mangrove restoration, irrigation and traffic infrastructure construction, and developing adaptive livelihood models. Many models have been effectively applied such as: ecological tiger prawn farming, mussel and snail farming under mangrove canopy, VietGAP farming for tiger prawn and whiteleg shrimp, goby farming; raising cows, goats and poultry using agricultural by-products, planting salt-tolerant plants combined with eco-tourism development.

These activities significantly improve the ecological environment, reduce pollution and increase income for people. Regarding infrastructure, the project has completed items such as upgrading route 933B, sea dyke system, river dyke, electricity for production and planting coastal mangrove forests, contributing to minimizing damage caused by flooding, high tides, while promoting tourism development, marine economy and intra-regional transport.

Currently, Can Tho City is implementing investment preparation procedures for 2 projects under the Program for Sustainable Development of the Mekong Delta Region Adapting to Climate Change (MERIT - WB11) and is expected to combine them into the MERIT-WB11 project of Can Tho City, with a total expected investment capital of 2,550 billion VND.

Ms. Mariam J. Sherman, WB Director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, East Asia and Pacific region, highly appreciated ICRSL - WB9 for bringing practical benefits to the people, suitable for climate change adaptation. At the same time, she said that WB will accompany the locality to continue implementing the MERIT-WB11 project. WB hopes that Can Tho city will determine the timeline and the locality will complete the approval of the investment policy no later than April 2026 so that WB can carry out the next steps of the project.

Mr. Tran Chi Hung, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, highly appreciated and agreed with the WB's proposal, hoping that the WB would support the city in seeking more non-refundable ODA capital sources, speeding up investment preparation procedures to soon start the project, contributing to the implementation of the sustainable development goals and climate change adaptation of the Mekong Delta region.

VINH TUONG - HUYNH TRAM

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/can-tho-hon-2500-ty-dong-thuc-hien-du-an-thich-ung-bien-doi-khi-hau-post820408.html