New lock-dam to combat climate change impacts in Kim Son, Ninh Binh Province

New lock-dam to combat climate change impacts in Kim Son, Ninh Binh Province

With its geographical configuration (positioning downstream of large transboundary watersheds, importance of coastal zones – 3,260 km – and deltas, which concentrate population and agricultural and industrial activities, strong monsoon climate) Vietnam is one of the five countries most exposed to climate change, including extreme weather events and rising sea levels.

To help the provinces adapt to these increasingly frequent phenomena, AFD is financing a project to combat rising water levels in the provinces of Can Tho, Ninh Binh and Ha Tinh through a €52.35 million loan and a €1 million grant.

In the province of Ninh Binh, this project implemented from 2019 to 2022 aims to prevent, especially in the dry season, the rise of the saline waters of the Day River in the Vac River by the construction of the Kim Dai lock dam. This work preserves a reserve of fresh water available for agriculture, aquaculture and domestic uses. It will benefit more than 800,000 people on a total area of nearly 100,000 ha, including more than 40,000 ha of agricultural land, largely dedicated to rice production.

“I am pleased that this project will help improve the resilience of the people of Ninh Binh Province to the impacts of climate change, including rising water levels. This project will prevent saline intrusion into agricultural areas and facilitate water resource management in the province. This support from AFD is fully in line with its strategy in Vietnam, in connection with the implementation of the Paris Agreement.” said Hervé Conan, Director of AFD in Vietnam.

The lock-dam was inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Vo Van Thuong, permanent member of the secretariat of the Central Committee of the Party, Mr. Tran Thanh Man, Permanent Vice-President of the National Assembly, Ms. Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Head of the Central Party Masses Mobilization Commission, Mr. Le Van Thanh, Deputy Prime Minister, and senior officials of Ninh Binh province. The inauguration of the Kim Dai lock-dam took place in the context of the celebrations of the bicentenary of Ninh Binh province and the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of the province.

The lock associated with the dam allows to maintain safely the activity of river transport, vital for the economy of this large agricultural perimeter.