Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – A seminar discussing the joint work of organisations in response tonatural disasters and climate change was held in Ho Chi Minh City on November7. 

According to the Vietnam Social WelfareProgramme Fund, Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by naturaldisasters and climate change. 

Environment organisations said at least 23percent of the Mekong Delta land will be under water when sea water rises upone metre. Due to the impact of climate change, about 13 percent of regionalhouseholds lose land and water surface. 

Dang The Nhan, coordinator of a project onbuilding community capacity in response to disasters in the Mekong Delta, saidthe 2016-2018 project costs 13 billion VND (582,000 USD) in Tra Vinh province’sKe Sach district, Soc Trang province and Tra Vinh city, with a view tomitigating negative impact of climate change, multiplying it in cities andprovinces nationwide. 

The project has yielded fruits, notably theorganic vegetable farming model in greenhouses in 60 households in Soc Trangand Tra Vinh, contributing to raising their income and improving the role ofcommunity groups in the effort. 

The fund also launched a software used on smartphones, enabling women and young people to report natural disasters to agenciesand receive alerts to promptly devise response plans. 

Bui Ba Binh, Vice Chairman of the fund’s boardof directors, said via effective models, locals living in areas hit by climatechange could improve their lives and skills in the process.-VNA