Climate Change affecting Land Use in the Mekong Delta: Adaptation of Rice-based Cropping Systems

(CLUES)2011-2014

International project leader: Dr. Reiner Wassmann (IRRI)

National project leader: Prof. Le Quang Tri (DRAGON-MK-CTU)

Project coordinator: Dr. Nguyen Hieu Trung (DRAGON-MK-CTU)

Project aim and objectives

Objective: to increase the adaptive capacity of rice production systems in the Mekong Delta Region.

Project Consortium:• International Rice Research Institute, Philippines• Can Tho University,

Climate Change Research Institute (DRAGON-MK, CTU) College of Environment and Natural Resources College of Agriculture and Applied Biology Mekong Delta Research Institute Hoa An Bio-diversification Center

• Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, Hau Giang• Southern Institute for Water Resource Planning, HCMC• Institute for Agricultural Sciences, HCMC• CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, Australia• Yanco Agricultural Institute, I&I NSW, Australia

Working hypotheses

1. Recent climatic extremes can be taken as an entry point for assessing future climatic situations

2. Hydrological changes will be the major driver of climate change in the delta

3. The key to adaptation in rice production is improved tolerance to flooding and salinity

HydrologicalModeling

PlantBreeding

Natural Resource Man.

Socio-economics

Land Use Planning

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

WP 1

WP 2

WP 3

WP 4

WP 5

WP 6

Site Selection

Hoa AnAcid sulphate soil

OmonAlluvial soil

An GiangDeep-flooded zone

Bac LieuSaline zone

WP1. Hydrological modeling

What are the impacts of climate extremes in terms of flooding and salinity? Detailed maps of flooding and salinity intrusion under different CC scenarios

WP2: Plant breeding

Samba-Sub1

SambaSamba-Sub1

IR64-Sub1IR49830 (Sub1)

IR64IR42

IR64

IR64-Sub1

Samba-Sub1

IR49830 (Sub1)

Samba

IR64

IR64-Sub1IR49830 (Sub1)

IR42

IR64-Sub1

IR64

IR49830 (Sub1)IR49830 (Sub1)

IR42

Samba

IR42

Samba

Improvement of salinity and submergence resilience of locally-adapted rice varieties and elite lines

To what extent can we use advanced breeding approaches to improve stress tolerance rice to flooding and salinity and how to improve anaerobic germination? New rice varieties with single or combined tolerance

Deep flooded zone: Thoai Son

Alluvial soil: Thoi Lai

Acid sulphate soil: Hoa An

Saline soil: Phuoc Long and Gia Rai

WP3: Natural Resource Management

• Work with local communities and local governments• Participatory constraint analysis of present cropping systems under

unfavorable weather conditions• Participatory design and implement of field experiments for testing new

cropping systems and technologies• Process study in laboratories

How will CC impacts differ within the delta and how can NRM be improved to cope with it? Site specific recommendations for NRM

WP4 Socio-economics

• Baseline livelihood assessments• Sustainable livelihood and adaptation strategy

assessments• Policy and institutional arrangement analysis• Participatory fine-tuning of project-generated

technologies and assessing benefits in terms of adaptive capacity

• Explore possible extension pathways of research findings of the project

What is the best way to learn from farmers’ experiences in dealing with drought, flood and salinity problems in recent years? To be integrated into NRM recommendations

WP5. Land use planningCase study: Bac Lieu province (a coastal province)

What are the options of land uses for alleviating impacts of CC in the coastal area? Exemplary master plan for one province (considering the outcomes from other WPs: potential LUTs, farming techniques, socio-economic and environment issues,)

WP6 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Provide training and scientific infrastructure– to facilitate initial GHG emission measurements in rice

systems and – to record baseline emissions from conventional

management and adaptation technologies.

Planned impacts

Capacity impacts• Enhanced capacity to select for well characterized genes conferring

tolerance of abiotic stresses

• Established laboratory facilities for GHG emission studies in the MDR and supplied necessary field equipment and training for emission records in agricultural systems

• Added expertise on rice-based cropping systems to the CTU/ DRAGON focal point for research and training on CC in the Mekong Delta

• Farmers, NGOs and extension personnel at selected sites trained on site, in aspects of participatory research and evaluation, and in providing feedback during different stages of the project, for eventual impact and relevance.

Planned impacts

Community impactsEconomic impacts:• With “Marker-assisted backcrossing”, significant economic benefits to breeding

programs and to farmers are expected (Saltol and Sub1 could be incorporated into popular varieties within 2-3 years)

• Use of short-maturing varieties, together with effective NRM practices and efficient cropping systems enhance farmers' income and provide more opportunities for sustainable livelihood options.

• Sustained or enhanced production of rice will contribute to Vietnam foreign exchange via rice exportation, benefit rural development of the MD.

• Increased capacity of farmers and communities to mitigate the negative impacts of CC by making use of different adaptation options that are economically feasible for their characteristics.

• Enhancing the capacity of policy makers to understand the Agr. systems in the context of CC

Planned impacts

Community impactsSocial impacts• The reduced vulnerability to CC impacts of rice-based production systems within

the MD will prevent the collapse of this important food growing area.

• Better access to knowledge through web-based knowledge banks, and other materials speed up the extension of the project outputs within and beyond the target sites.

• Securing food supply and providing diversity of livelihood options

• Reduce vulnerability and social inequity better manage risk in a CC context and provide adaptation options to most disadvantaged groups.

• Strengthen community-based local seed systems to ensure effective and efficient production and timely distribution of sufficient high quality seeds to farmers contribute to higher yields and income.

Planned impacts

Community impactsEnvironmental impacts

• Use of salt- and sub-tolerant varieties bring back land and water resources that are currently underused/not being used, and this could free precious water resources in other areas for alternative uses including Env. services.

• Providing alternative income sources and livelihood options will help prevent overexploitation of natural resources and ease Env. degradation in these highly vulnerable coastal areas.

• CC impact assessment formulate policies and practices to reduce undesirable impacts of CC and facilitate designing proper coping strategies to mitigate likely harmful consequences.

• Appropriate NRM and improved technologies reduce pollution load (acidity, agrochemicals) to the surrounding water and gases losses to the atmosphere.

• Env. impacts of adaptation options will be examined through an assessment of the overall livelihoods responses with CC.

Thank you for your attention