2030 Water Resource Group Vietnam to be set up in March

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and 2030 Water Resources Group (2030WRG),  a public -private-civil society partnership hosted by the World Bank,have agreed to set up a 2030 WRG Vietnam working group, said Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Speaking at a virtual meeting held on Wednesday between the MARD and representative from 2030WRG, he said that the working group is expected to be launched in March this year.

The problems raised by the 2030 WRG were the things that the Vietnamese Government and the MARD were doing, Hiep said.

“If the group operates effectively, it will provide great support to the MARD in managing the water use effectively as well as increase its value,” he said, adding that the Government is assigning the ministry to develop a project on water security.

Addressing the meeting, Karin Krchnak, head of 2030 WRG said the water crisis is a global concern for all countries in the world.

To ensure water security, there must be cooperation of many parties.

Therefore, she said, partners of the 2030 WRG have been focusing on innovative elements such as value chain transformation in the agricultural water resource, reducing water pollution, especially water for agricultural production, creating livelihoods and raising incomes for farmers.

The 2030 WRG has supported a drip irrigation project in India on an area of 24,000 hectares and the Government of India wanted to expand the application of the drip irrigation system.

Practical activities were also carried out by the group to assist the establishment of an irrigation fund in South Africa and Kenya. This was an important link in the value chain of water resources, she said.

The 2030 WRG has developed new business models for farmers, eliminating barriers and supporting them in market accession.

Krchnak said experiences obtained by the 2030 WRG would help Vietnam solve the shortcomings in water management and use, especially the water resources for agricultural production.

Nguyen Van Tinh, director general of the Department of Water Resources under the MARD said 2030 Water Resource Group Vietnam would concentrate on water saving solutions in key areas with priority given to the South Central region, the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta.

Results from those localities will be replicated to other regions of Vietnam to achieve the overall goal of using water effectively and economically and thereby adapting to water resources, he said.

Tinh said the MARD also suggested the 2030 WRG set forth initiatives to mobilise resources from the community and the private sector under the Public-private partnership form.

He also called for the group’s assistance in enhancing capacity building for small scale irrigation projects under the management of the community.