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Mekong Delta Climate Resilience and Integrated Transformation Project (MERIT) Study Tour

Author: Peter Wegener, Senior Project Manager

The International WaterCentre at Griffith University recently had the pleasure of hosting a delegation of 27 participants from the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), as part of a World Bank funded program, with support from the Australian Water Partnership.

The study tour was designed for technical managers and staff at National and Provincial level, who are actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the Mekong Delta Climate Resilience and Integrated Transformation Project (MERIT). It provided participants with relevant knowledge and practical insights drawn from Australia’s expertise in water resource management, smart agriculture, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

The Mekong Delta, a region crucial to Vietnam’s agricultural and economic future, faces urgent challenges such as saline intrusion, land subsidence, coastal erosion, and the need for sustainable, climate-resilient livelihoods. These complexities demand integrated and innovative approaches to water, land and other resources governance and climate adaptation. By leveraging Australia’s experiences in managing similar challenges, the study tour offered an opportunity for participants to explore practical solutions and strategies applicable to MERIT.

The study tour consisted of presentations, discussions and field visits around South-East Queensland. The tour was also a significant opportunity for delegates to create networks with Australian experts, and also to strengthen internal connections between MAE staff from the various provinces and national levels.

 

Delegates gained an understanding of:

  • Integrated water and coastal management approaches, including innovative solutions for salinity management, coastal embankment management and climate resilience.
  • Agricultural practices to support livelihoods in the context of changing climate and digital transformation.
  • Applications of technologies like remote sensing, flood monitoring, early warning systems, and GIS, gaining insights into how data-driven approaches can inform and improve irrigation efficiency, water resource planning, and project design.
  • Governance models to improve inter-provincial coordination, transboundary water management, and GEDSI inclusive stakeholder collaboration.

Field trips included visits to the Queensland Government Hydraulics Laboratory; Woongoolba sugar cane and prawn farming area; City of Gold Coast Environmental Offsets Project; Redlands Bay Shoreline Mangrove offset project; Gold Coast beach and coastal erosion management; the Tosari Crop Research Centre; and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

Numerous knowledgeable and experienced colleagues from across Southeast Queensland shared their expertise with the delegates. Organisations included: Queensland Government Hydraulics Laboratory; City of Gold Coast; Water Technology; Griffith University Coastal and Marine Research Centre; University of Southern Queensland Centre for Applied Climate Science; Tosari Crop Research Centre; Southern Queensland Landscapes; and Data Farming. IWC is very grateful to all of them for their time and generosity.