Assessment of potential CSA options for future agriculture production in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam

As a follow-up to discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( MARD) about the effects of drought in the South Central Coast (SCC) region, and particularly in light of the impact of the 2014-16 ENSO, CCAFS organized a team to contribute to the development of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) plans for the region. The assembled team conducted a rapid assessment of the biophysical conditions in the SCC region by conducting a site visit, expert interviews, and analyses of available literature. The aims of the assessment were to identify CSA options that could be integrated in ongoing and future climate-adaptation interventions, and to provide science-based recommendations to MARD and local authorities to support future planning and action strategies aimed at coping with unfavorable climate conditions and climate change problems in the region. It is recommended that the potential positive actions identified by the team be considered in the region’s policies and regulations in the future; in the incentives adopted to promote new technologies and practices; in investment priorities; and in capacity development initiatives. Also, it is notable that Vietnamese agricultural research institutions have a strong history of collaboration with the CGIAR and other research organizations. Many outputs from previous collaborations can be harnessed and mobilized to respond to the present needs of the South Central Coast region, even as investments in R4D are made to find suitable new practices and technologies.