CVN112302c "Studying and forecasting impacts of climate change on Red river basin and Institutional support for improved irrigation efficiency in Gia Binh pilot area of Bac Hung Hai Irrigation system

The Water Resources University (WRU) of Vietnam has been assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the project owner to be responsible for overall management.

 I.                   Introduction

The Government requested ADB and AFD to co-finance a Vietnam assistance project aiming at increasing the number of qualified agriculture related hydraulic engineers, improving the monitoring and management of hydraulic systems, enhancing agriculture production and improving agriculture productivity for the benefits of poor farmers, which is named “Strengthening Water Management and Irrigation Systems Rehabilitation Project” (or Bac Hưng Hai (BHH) project hereinafter).

The BHH project has three main components including:

- Upgrading professional training schools for water resources experts in Water Resources University.

- Improving Bac Hưng Hai irrigation and drainage scheme. Preparation of a proposal to study and forecast the impacts of climate change on Red River Basin and,

- Constructing new infrastructure and upgrading existing irrigation systems infrastructure for the Bac Hưng Hai Irrigation and Drainage scheme.

Project "Strengthening Water Management and Irrigation Systems Rehabilitation Project" has been signed between State Bank of Vietnam and ADB on 7/9/2010 and between Ministry of Finance and AFD on 31/08/2011. The total project cost is USD 180.5 million, including an ADB loan of USD 100 million, an AFD loan of USD 30 million, counterpart funding of Vietnamese government of USD 50.5 million. The total project cost is USD 180.5 million including one ADB Loan of USD 130 million, an AFD loan of 20 million € and a grant of 800,000 € funded by AFD.  Moreover, AFD provided a grant of 800,000 € for the implementation of technical support project of 2 components:

- Component 1: Studying and forecasting the impacts of climate change on red river basin.

- Component 2: Institutional support to improve the irrigation efficiency in Gia Binh pilot area of Bac Hưng Hai scheme.

The Water Resources University (WRU) of Vietnam has been assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the project owner to be responsible for overall management.

II. Objectives

1. Long term goal

1.1 Component 1:

The main goal of this project is to enhance the knowledge and awareness about the climate and hydrological changes in Red River Delta (RRD). By assessing the impacts on the social and economic conditions in the RRD area, the project is expected to provide a reliable scientific framework for decision making process on regional and local development. The project is aimed at recommending solutions and their associated costs to adapt to climate change. The goals are:

  • -     Enhance the knowledge and awareness about the climate and hydrological changes that impact the social and economic conditions in the project area, to provide reliable basis for decision making on regional and local development.
  • -    Recommend solutions to fight against climate change consequences in the Red River Delta and evaluate the cost of these solutions.

1.2   Component 2

  • -   Improvement of performance efficiency of hydraulic works and economic impacts on agricultural production of Gia Binh district through the management and investment in hydraulic infrastructure applying participatory approach in water management in Gia Binh. 

2. Short term goal

2.1 Component 1:

  • - To study and summarize climate and hydrological phenomenon that affects directly the Red river basin, including BHH system in the present and future time.
  • - To analyze and evaluate potential climate change impact scenarios (optimistic, moderate, and pessimistic) in Red River Basin with a focus in water level (with reference to studies of Inter-governmental Panel of Climate Change and Vietnam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment).
  • - To evaluate climate change impacts on the socio-economic condition and environment (focus on the impacts on hydraulic infrastructure and rice production).
  • - To propose appropriate and concrete technical and institutional adaptation solutions to climate change
  • -  To propose preliminary strategies or/and action plans in local response
  • -  To evaluate the cost of each action plan and solution proposed to limit climate change impacts in the RRD area
  • -  Knowledge transfer to local authorities

2.2 Component 2:

  • - Development of vision and modernization plan for the hydraulic system in Gia Bình pilot area.
  • - Establishment and trial of Local Irrigation Development Committee/Forum (including 1 at district level and 14 committees/forums at commune level) and establishment/reinforcement of WUOs
  • - Through two tiers of administration, Local Irrigation Development Committee/Forum will contribute to (i) build capacity of stakeholders in water management in Gia Binh, especially for weakest organizations of Agriculture Production Cooperative (APCs); and (ii) the improvement of water management through the effective and participatory use of LIDF. 

III. Major Results

      1.      Component 1: 

  • - Assess the impacts of existing climate trend
  • - Identification of future climate conditions
  • - Modeling of hydrologic and hydraulic processes in the RRD. Assessment of current and future climate change impacts on hydrological processes.
  • - Assessment of possible impacts on social and economic development. Vulnerabilities for agricultural activities
  • - Adaptation solutions to climate change

2.  Component 2:

  • - Evaluation and development of plans and strategies for upgrading the system (hardware) and improvement of management and operation of hydraulic systems in pilot areas (software) and through which the prioritized issues for improvement relating to management and modernization of canal systems will be identified using MASSCOTE approach; awareness raising on PIM and Local Irrigation Development Committees/Forums.
  • - Supporting Local Irrigation Development Committees/Forums and WUOs with the preparation of hydraulic work infrastructure development plan and the preparation of proposal. 
  • Evaluating performance of Local Irrigation Development Committees/Forums and WUO and proposing the scaling up of the model.