This report analyses the impact of climate change and land degradation on agriculture and related sectors in Viet Nam. It intends to guide the project based on the design of the Country Strategic Opportunities Paper (COSOP) priorities and to identify supplementary financing for International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) projects from the UNFCCC and other carbon related financing mechanisms. It is explained that the harmful effects of climate change are already being experienced in Viet Nam, and farming communities have begun to respond by:

introducing livestock breeds that can withstand increased temperatures
shifting crop varieties such as from rice to maize
introducing drought resistant crop varieties
adopting water saving methods.

Over the last century, average temperatures in the Mekong region have risen by 0.3 to 0.8°C. Further temperature increases are expected along with more extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, changes in the amount and distribution of rainfall, and rising sea levels. However, considering that more than three-quarters of Viet Nam’s labour force is engaged in the agriculture sector, the scale of interventions will need to be significantly increased if continued economic growth is to be achieved. Key policy implications include:

forward planning and implementation of a rural development and agriculture strategy that is knowledgeable about climate change will help offset many of its harmful effects
IFAD should consider supporting Viet Nam in its current efforts to develop a climate change Mitigation and Adaptation Action Plan for the agricultural and rural development sector as a contribution to the National Strategy and Action Framework for Climate Change
given the geographic scale and time horizon being discussed, IFAD will need to pursue a multi-pronged approach that supports Viet Nam in developing the enabling framework concurrently with on-the ground adaptation and mitigation measures
focus areas suggested for informing Viet Nam’s Mitigation and Adaptation Action Plan include: continued work on securing access for the rural poor to land and forest resources, adoption of food security measures (safety nets) and provision of alternative livelihood options.