121 climate-resilient ponds were built within the framework of the project "Strengthening the resilience of smallholder agriculture to climate change-induced water insecurity in the Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions of Viet Nam” funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the project aims to improve water security and protect the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the region.
By 2026, it is expected that 1,159 climate-resistant ponds will be built, handed over and put into operation.
The project is implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees of the provinces: Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. The project is a good example of benefit sharing, sustainable use and management of water resources in the context of climate change and extreme El Niño. As these climate-resilient ponds support farmers and strengthen their resilience, contributing to a safer and more prosperous future in the land that is at the heart of Vietnamese agriculture in the future.
UNDP representative said, out of 121 ponds, 106 have been completed and put into use, 15 are currently under construction and these ponds are expected to be completed soon to keep up with water during the raining season. The ponds will be used by households, thereby reinforcing the project's impact on increasing farmers' access to water as early as 2023.