Review Workshop Implementation results and scaling Agro-Climatic Bulletins (ACB) in Mekong River Delta “Applying seasonal climate forecasting and innovative insurance solutions to climate risk management in the agriculture sector in SE Asia (DeRISK SE Asia)” Can Tho, Vietnam | 28th October 2022 DeRISK SE Asia Summary This report was prepared as an output for DeRISK SE Asia and is aligned with the new CGIAR initiative on Asia Mega-Deltas. The workshop was covered by Asia Mega-Deltas and co-chaired by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center of Tropical Agriculture (Alliance Bioversity & CIAT) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development/Crop Production Department (MARD-DCP). In the workshop, 59 key participants from 7 MRD provinces shared the key achievements, challenges and lessons learnt on implementation and scaling of Agro-climatic Bulletins (ACBs). Based on the results and experiences shared by the projects, participants discussed how to sustain project approaches and results as well as improving current climate services’ gaps in agricultural production in Mekong River Delta, Vietnam. Specifically, governmental partner (DCP) shared their interest and commitment on continuation of Agro-climatic Bulletin (ACB) implementation and scaling in Mekong River Delta (MRD) in the next coming years. The potential collaboration among partners for further improving climate services in agriculture was discussed and planned to be followed up through Asian Mega Delta initiative. Background The ‘DeRISK SE Asia’ project (2018-2022), supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), is led by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and implemented by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and the Alliance Bioversity & CIAT. With support from the project DeRISK SE Asia, the Alliance Bioversity & CIAT, and the Department of Crop Production introduced a participatory process to develop Agro-Climatic Bulletins or ACB with local partners. ACB is produced based on seasonal, monthly, or 10-day weather forecasts through the interaction of different players along the climate service value chain. The climate service value chain refers to the production, translation, dissemination, and use of local-specific recommendations, and includes staff from hydromet centers, agricultural officers, water management staff, extension officers, and farmers amongst others. The ACB is now being implemented in 8 provinces, 7 in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) and 1 in South Central Coast, with 351 communes in total, with interest from other provinces and regions in the country. The bulletins are disseminated via multiple communication channels, including printed posters, Zalo groups, loudspeakers, extension staff and through meetings of local partners (e.g., commune people’s committees, Farmers’ Union). The Department of Crop Production and the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT organise a review workshop, called “Review of implementation results and scaling Agro-Climatic Bulletins (ACB) in the Mekong River Delta” to share project milestones and experiences as well as to discuss scaling opportunities and pathways with national stakeholders. Objectives The workshop includes two sessions, including (1) morning session - review of bulletins of summer- autumn season for DERISK which serves as the entry points for early intervention of work package 3 DeRISK SE Asia of Asia Mega Delta during winter-spring season 2022-2023 and (2) afternoon session – test tool for assessing value chain climate risk and vulnerability (VC CR&VA) under work package 3 of AMD project. The specific objectives of the workshop are: o Present the key accomplishments and results achieved in scaling up the ACB during the Summer-Autumn season 2022 in MRD. o Discuss with stakeholders the experiences, and lessons learned and identify gaps in applying and scaling the ACB. o Generate responses and recommendations from the governmental agencies on the needs and opportunity for further scaling ACB as well as how to sustain ACB approach in Vietnam. o Test of VC CR&V assessment tool under work package 3 of Asia Mega Delta project. Date and venue: The workshop was organised on 28th October 2022 in Can Tho city Agenda: a day workshop (see Appendix 1) Number of participants: 59 (22 women/37 men), see Appendix 2 for list of participants Key activities and discussions I/ Morning session: review of bulletins of summer-autumn season for DERISK Opening Opening remarks by Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of MARD-DCP: Mr. Tung shared the overall objectives of the workshop, including sharing key project results and experiences as well as looking forwards for further discussion on how to maintain and scale out project results and approach. Overview of the DeRISK Southeat Asia Dr. Kees Swaans, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Regional Lead for Climate Action in Asia, provides an overview of the DeRISK SE Asia project, highlighting the project goal, objectives, target countries (Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, and Vietnam), work packages, activities across different countries, as well as the project results and lessons learned. Dr. Kees also shared the continuation of DeRISK through AMD/WP3 which is a new CGIAR initative (2022-2030) on “Securing the Food Systems of Asian Mega-Deltas for Climate and Livelihood Resilience (AMD)”. Work pack 3 is a focus area on “De-risking delta-oriented value chains through digital climate advisory and complementary services (DCAS+)” DeRISK SE Asia Key results of implementing ACBs in Summer-Autumn season 2022 • Each province shared the key activities, results, lessons learned and the next steps towards 2023 and on-going. The presentations can be found via this link. The sharing from the seven provinces showed that the information provided from ACB enabled farmers to promptly make decisions on adjusting their farming calendar, applying fertilizer and pesticides, harvesting in timely manner, and avoiding negative impacts of unfavourable weather and climate conditions. All provinces emphasized that they would continue maintain ACB implementation and scale out to other communes/districts in the next coming Winter-Spring season 2022-2023. • Present the CBA results-the case from Tien Giang province: The findings showed that The ACB consequently contributed to reducing production costs and increasing productivity and income among farmers. For instance, a household survey of more than 200 farmers in Tien Giang province revealed that ACB adoption contributed to increase rice yield by 266 kg per ha and net profit by 2.7 million per ha. In addition, about 40% of interviewed farmers reported a reduction of more than 1.3 million VND pesticide cost thanks to the advisories. The key findings can be found via this link Key Questions and Answers: • Question 1: Mr. Le Thanh Tung asked Can Tho province to clarify clearly on upcoming plan for continuation of project approach. Responses from Can Tho province: - Can Tho sub-DCP proposed the project and all partners to complete the guide on ACB development and then apply it as a technical advance under MARD. With this, the province will have more chance to seek for provincial budget for continuation and scale out ACB in the province. - Integrate ACB into current work plan of sub-DCP • Question 2: An Giang province (sub-DCP) shared online forecast source and asked Regional hydromet Centre (RHMC) if the province can use the information from online sources like that. Mr. Quyet (RHMC) response: Mr.Quyet suggests all province to use the official sources from government. The provinces can ask RHMC (Mr. Quyet can be the contact person) if urgently need any climate/weather information. Other online sources are for references but not recommended to use in producing advisories without consultation with hydromet staff about weather/climate information. Discussion for on the needs and opportunity for further scaling ACB as well as how to sustain ACB approach in Vietnam: • Can Tho DARD: shared that Can Tho is one of the areas that is vulnerable to climate change. It is affected by different events such as salinity, high tides (floods), heavy rain and drought. Can Tho DARD appreciate the support from the project on ACB and expressed ACB as one of important tasks under DARD for helping farmers to cope with climate change. • Sharing from a farmer representative: farmers need climate information, especially weather forecasts and advisory on pest and disease management, crop selection, water regulation, etc. DeRISK SE Asia For better planning, they also need guidance on planting dates and variety. ACB provided information very fast, e.g., through Zalo and loudspeaker. The most benefits are to have better planning, avoid loss and reduce pesticides uses. • Mr. Le Thanh Tung, deputy director of DCP shared that over time, the ACBs have been co- developed, disseminated, scaled, and received a high consensus of farmers and local partners. DCP has already issued a directive letter for the continued implementation of ACB in Mekong River Delta for Winter Spring season 2022-2023. “The information put in localized ACB will bring significant benefits. This is a solution which is considered as “an extended arm” of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to make DARD’s direction being closer to farmers, "said Mr. Tung. In the long-term, DCP aims to expand ACB implementation to 13 provinces in MRD and beyond. DCP will develop a plan and send it to MARD to support implementation in MRD and other areas in combination with other potential projects acting in MRD as well as linking ACB with CS map to implement national Green Growth Strategy. In addition, DCP will also be looking for chances to further work on digitalisation of climate services in the coming years. • Recommendations from participants: ACB can be expanded to other farming systems/value chains such as aquaculture, rural clean water management, crop structure transformation, etc. II/ Afternoon session: Test tools for VC CR&VA Dr. Kees Swaans, project lead introduced the overall AMD project, as well as the work package 3, which focuses on De-risking delta-oriented value chains. This work package aims to reduce climate risks among smallholders (including women and youth) and facilitate investment in deltaic value chains through digital climate advisory and complementary services (DCAS+). The participants then worked on focus group discussions to identify and rank the types of decisions that need to be made by different value chain actors under different value chains in pre, during, and end of season. Group work was conducted by dividing the participants into three groups representing three key value chain systems, including rice, rice-shrimp, and fruits. Each group went through and discussed the following: o Review the longlist of key decisions along value chain of each production system (once per group) o Shortlist the key decisions that need climate service the most o Identify per key decision: What climate information is needed to support the decision? When is it needed and in what format? What are the current sources of this information? What other factors influence this decision (Market prices, input availability, mechanisation availability, etc) DeRISK SE Asia Media coverage of the workshop Bản tin thời tiết nông vụ: Nông dân vượt qua tác động BĐKH (nongnghiep.vn) Chủ động sản xuất, né bất lợi nhờ Bản tin Thời tiết nông vụ (nongnghiep.vn) Nhân rộng việc thực hiện Bản tin Thời tiết nông vụ ở ĐBSCL - Báo Cần Thơ Online (baocantho.com.vn) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He1vB-S7iSI&feature=youtu.be Nông dân trồng lúa thắng lợi vượt qua tác động biến đổi khí hậu (cuctrongtrot.gov.vn) Appendix Appendix 1: Workshop Program Morning Session: Review the result of Scaling Agro-Climatic Bulletins Time Activity In-charge 07:30 – 08:00 Registration Secretariat Moderator: Sub DCP Can Tho 08:00 – 08:15 Opening Message Mr. Le Thanh Tung Department of Crop Production (DCP) DeRISK SE Asia 08:15 – 08:40 DeRISK Southeast Asia – An Overview Kees Swaans, Project Leader, Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 08:40 – 09:50 Present the key accomplishments and 7 sub-DCPs (10 minutes each) results achieved in implementation and scaling the ACB in The Mekong River Delta. Q and A (5’) 09:50 – 10:10 Group photo and coffee/tea break Show video: Project videos 10.10-10.30 Sharing local experiences and lesson learnt District DARDs from District DARD – speech Farmers Farmer’s speech Q &A (5’) 10.30-10.40 Present the CBA results: the case from Tien ABC Giang 10:40 – 11:15 Discussion on the needs and opportunity All participants for further scaling ACB as well as how to Leaders from government sustain ACB approach in Vietnam. organization 11:15 – 11:30 Concluding remarks DCP Lunch Afternoon Session: Consultation for Vulnerability assessment for key value chain in MRD 13:00 -13:30 Introduction Kees Swaans, Breaking into 03 groups: rice, rice-shrimp, Project Leader, Alliance Bioversity & and fruits CIAT 13:30 – 14:30 Group discussion the longlist and shortlist of Facilitators: Alliance Bioversity & key decisions that need CS CIAT and DCP 14:30- 14:45 Tea break 14: 45 – 15:45 Group discussion per selected/shortlisted Facilitators: Alliance Bioversity & decision on current CS, information needs, CIAT and DCP format, timing, etc 15:45– 16:00 Wrap-up/closure DCP Appendix 2: Participants’ list Order Participants Organisation Gender 1 Lê Thanh Tùng Cục Trồng trọt 1 2 Trần Thị Mỹ Hạnh Cục Trồng trọt 2 3 Nguyễn Thành Phước Chi cục TTBVTV Sóc Trăng 1 4 Ngô Thanh Loan Chi cục TTBVTV Sóc Trăng 2 5 Huỳnh Đức Thắng Trạm TTBVTV Trần Đề, Sóc Trăng 1 6 Nguyễn Thanh Hồng Phòng NN huyện Long Phú, Sóc Trăng 2 DeRISK SE Asia 7 Đặng Hoàng Danh UBND xã Tân Thạnh, Long Phú, Sóc Trăng 1 8 Nguyễn Thanh Hậu UBND TT Trần Đề, huyện Trần Đề, ST 2 9 Tô Hồng Phước HTX Tân Tiến Phát, Long Phú, ST 1 10 Nguyễn Đức Long Chi cục TTBVTV Kiên Giang 1 11 Nguyễn Việt Xô Phòng NN huyện Gò Quao, KG 1 12 Trang Kiên Bush Trạm TTBVTV huyện An Biên, KG 1 13 Nguyễn Thị Hậu Chi cục TTBVTV Kiên Giang 2 14 Trang Tửng Chi cục TTBVTV Trà Vinh 1 15 Huỳnh Ngọc Diện Chi cục TTBVTV Trà Vinh 1 16 Mai Chí Cường Chi cục TTBVTV Trà Vinh 1 17 Nguyễn Mạnh Thái Trung tâm DVNN Châu Thành 1 18 Trương Kính Hoa Phòng NN Châu Thành 1 19 Lê Đình Quyết Đài KTTV KV Nam Bộ 1 20 Trương Thị Thủy Đài KTTV KV Nam Bộ 2 21 Nguyễn Thanh Thuý Chi cục TTBVTV Hậu Giang 2 22 Phạm Hoàng Vũ Chi cục TTBVTV Hậu Giang 1 23 Trương Thanh Nghị Chi cục TTBVTV Hậu Giang 1 24 Phan Văn Bình Trạm TTBVTV Vị Thủy, HG 1 25 Phan Thành Lâm Phòng NN Phụng Hiệp, HG 1 26 Phạm Thị Minh Hiếu Chi cục TTBVTV Cần Thơ 2 27 Trần Thị Kim Thúy Chi cục TTBVTV Cần Thơ 2 28 Phan Thanh Trúc Chi cục TTBVTV Cần Thơ 2 29 Phạm Nguyễn Trung Hiếu Chi cục TTBVTV Cần Thơ 1 30 Nguyễn Hoàng Kháng Nông dân 1 31 Lê Đình Dự Trạm TTBVTV Thốt Nốt 1 32 Nguyễn Văn Cư Nông dân 1 33 Hứa Hữu Đức VP ĐP NNNT ĐBSCL 1 34 Trần Thị Thu Hiền Phóng viên TTXVN 2 35 Dương Duy Lai Đài PT TH Cần Thơ 1 36 Nguyễn Văn Công Báo Cần Thơ 1 37 Vũ Công Lựơng Trạm Thoại Sơn, AG 1 38 Trần Thái Nghiên Sở NN Cần Thơ 1 39 Tăng Minh Kỳ VP điều phối NNNT ĐBSCL 1 40 Trương Tiến Lực Phòng Kinh tế Thốt Nốt 1 DeRISK SE Asia 41 Trần Thị Mỹ Phương Trung tâm Khuyến nông An Giang 2 42 Trần Minh Hậu VP điều phối NNNT ĐBSCL 1 43 Võ Thị Kim Phương Chi cục TTBVTV Tiền Giang 2 44 Dương Phát Thịnh TT DVNN tx Gò Công, TG 1 45 Nguyễn Thị Yến Nhi Chi cục TTBVTV Tiền Giang 2 46 Phạm Công Lĩnh Đài phát thanh TH Kiên Gianig 1 47 Nguyễn Thị Kim Anh Báo Nông nghiệp VN 2 48 Dương Quốc Nghiêm Chi cục TTBVTV An Giang 1 49 Nguyễn Văn Sang Chi cục TTBVTV An Giang 1 50 Nguyễn Thị Lê Chi cục TTBVTV An Giang 2 51 Nguyễn Đỗ Kiều Oanh Đài phát thanh TH Cần thơ 2 52 Lưu Minh Tuấn Chi cục TTBVTV An Giang 1 53 Kees Swaans Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 1 54 Angelica Barlis Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 2 55 James Gile Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 1 56 Lê Thị Tầm Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 2 57 Nguyễn Mai Hương Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 2 58 Trịnh Thanh Hà Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 2 59 Vũ Hương Ngân Alliance Bioversity & CIAT 2 Appendix 3: Pictures can be found via this link DeRISK SE Asia