(AG Provincial E-Portal) - On January 23, An Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development partnered with WWF-Vietnam to hold a conference to review the project "Restoring natural cycles in the Mekong Delta through nature-based solutions" (Mekong NbS Project) for the period 2023-2025, and consult on activities for the period 2026-2029. Vice Chairman of An Giang People's Committee, Ngo Cong Thuc, attended.
From the period 2023-2025, the Mekong NbS Project piloted activities in the Tra Su Cajuput Forest Landscape Conservation Area and its buffer zone, covering over 160 hectares. The project conducted comprehensive surveys on the groups of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and plants, building a scientific database for conservation management.
Additionally, the project piloted flood-based livelihood models, maintaining seasonal flooding, and tested integrated farming systems combining rice-fish-lotus-ecotourism on over 235 hectares. As a result, sediment deposition reached 3-5 tons/ha, much higher than triple-crop rice farming, generating incomes of 50-100 million VND for participating farmer teams, groups.
From 2026-2029, WWF-Vietnam will consult with local partners to restore and improve management of over 5,830 hectares of forests, wetlands, flood-prone areas, and hilly ecosystems in the Tu Giac Long Xuyen region (or Long Xuyen Quadrilateral area).
In An Giang, the plan is to prioritize expanding at least 1,000 hectares of ecological agriculture and flood-based livelihoods, following the "2 years 5 crops" or "3 years 8 crops" approach. The project will also promote the application of technology in conservation, develop technical documentation for around 730 hectares of forests in Nui Sam, Thoai Son, and Tuc Dup, aiming to establish a new landscape conservation area and support sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
Speaking at the Conference, Vice Chairman of An Giang Provincial People's Committee Ngo Cong Thuc highly appreciated the results the project has brought about over the past time. At the same time, he recommended that the Department of Agriculture and Environment research solutions and experiences drawn from the implementation model in An Giang to continue to advise and propose to the Provincial People's Committee mechanisms and policies to transform sustainable livelihoods and preserve local ecosystems.
He also called on departments, branches, localities, cooperatives, cooperative groups and people in the project area to actively participate in the project's models, enhancing incomes, protecting water and land resources, and restoring local ecosystems in the coming time…./.
News by Thanh Tien
Translated by Huynh Nhu
