Vietnam: CLUES project holds second semi-annual review and workshop in Can Tho University

The Climate Change Affecting Land Use in the Mekong Delta: Adaptation of Rice-based Cropping Systems (CLUES) held its second semi-annual review and planning workshop on 8-10 August at Can Tho University (CTU) in Vietnam. More than 60 Vietnamese scientists and local staff from CTU, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning (SIWRP), Institute of Agricultural Sciences for Southern Vietnam (IAS), and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Bac Lieu provinces as well as scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) participated in the said activity.

Theme Leaders, Nguyen Xuan Hien (SIWRP), Nguyen Thi Lang (CLRRI), Le Van Hoa (CTU), Dang Kieu Nhan (CTU), Nguyen Hieu Trung (CTU) and Cao Van Phung (CLRRI), presented the highlights of accomplishments for March 2011-July 2012. Some of the important achievements of the CLUES project include:

• Established risk maps of saline intrusion and flooded area in the Mekong Delta and Bac Lieu province.
• Developed land use and soil map for Bac Lieu province as a coastal area in Mekong Delta.
• Assessed and analyzed climate change constraints in rice-based farming systems and the adaptive capacities of farmers in all study sites.
• Conducted a demonstration of alternate-wetting-and drying technology in Bac Lieu province with GIZ Bac Lieu for about 100 farmers. 
• Selected 27 salt-tolerant lines including OM 5629 and OM 6677 and identified 12 genotypes with rapid recovery from stress such as MNR 1, MRN 4, MNR 3, OM 6677, and OM 70. The newly released acid-sulphate soil tolerant and salt-tolerant varieties are expected to be widely out-scaled through participatory varietal selection (PVS) trials and seed network activities.
• Evaluated 14 high-yielding genotypes with submergence tolerance in selected farmers' fields at Bac Lieu, An Giang, Hau Giang provinces and Can Tho city. 
• Managed trials of 12 salt-sub tolerant high-yielding genotypes in selected farmers' fields at Bac Lieu province. 
• Evaluated 12 rice genotypes with a degree of tolerance to stagnant flood in selected farmer’s fields at Hau Giang province. 
• Screened a total of 300 local varieties (comprising 40 traditional varieties, 200 improved varieties and 60 IRRI varieties) of Vietnamese germplasm for good survival and recovery under anaerobic conditions.
• Established the different CH4 (methane gas) emission rates as influenced by different production factors. Emission rate of CH4 in conventional field plots were consistently greater than in alternate-wetting and drying (AWD) plots. In addition, the CH4 emission rates increased with plant age and reached the highest rate at flowering time and decreases with reduced water depth at harvesting time. CH4 emission rates with N fertilizer use were also found to be greater when compared with straw compost application at 6 t/ha.

IRRI scientists Reiner Wassmann, To Phuc Tuong, Russell Reinke, Abdelbagi Ismail, Thelma Paris, Romeo Labios, and Ngo Dang Phong participated in the activity. IWMI was represented by Chu Thai Hoanh, while CTU was headed by Le Quang Tri. ACIAR Vietnam was represented by Geoff Morris and Vu Thi Hai.



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