The Blue Dragon programme, the Blue Deal partnership in Vietnam, experienced a busy second half of the year 2024 with the following events.
Green Economic Forum and Exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City
The Blue Dragon programme was invited by the Consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to take part in the Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE) from 21 – 23 October. The Blue Dragon programme presented about breaking the Build-Neglect-Repair cycle by our successful training programme on asset management and operation and maintenance. This was well received by the public and enterprises present.
During GEFE, the Blue Dragon programme also met with the Water Agency and other Dutch enterprises active in Vietnam. The Water Agency has interesting content, which creates chances to collaborate with each other.
Expanding the Blue Dragon programme to more provinces in the Mekong Delta
During the work visits to Vietnam in October and November, we visited 4 provinces in the Mekong Delta who showed interest in joining the programme. We met the Provincial People Committees represented by the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and other departments of the provinces An Giang, Vinh Long, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang. They all started the approval processes to join the programme. At Bac Lieu the director even invited the press and local television to prepare a news item.
The Blue Dragon programme will organise workshops in February 2025 to discuss contents of the programme in each new province with the presence of officials from several departments of the provinces working on water management.
GIS training
The coordinating office of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) contacted us in 2023 to start a GIS training programme with all provinces of the Mekong Delta. This initiative was developed together with the Can Tho University (CTU) and Hannes Versteegh from the Dutch water authority Hollands Noorderkwartier into a 4 week training programme starting with the basics of GIS. The coordinating office of MARD invited the participants from all provinces to come to CTU in Can Tho to take part.
The first training started in March 2024 with almost 60 participants. 3 trainings have so far been organised in 2024. The coordinating office proposed to extend the training with GIS analyses and the Dutch water authority De Stichtse Rijnlanden organized 2 GIS specialists to develop and give the trainings with CTU. During 2025 and 2026, 5 more trainings will be organised relating to rice agriculture and water management.
Blue Dragon Day meeting – Ecological embankments for erosion prevention
On 13 November, the annual Blue Dragon Day meeting was held in Rach Gia, Kien Giang province. With 40 participants from Can Tho, Hau Giang and Kien Giang provinces, the Ecological Embankment Pilot project in Kien Giang, applying nature-based solutions for erosion protection, was discussed.
After the opening by Mr Tjeerd Dijkstra (partnership manager) and Mr Doan Chi Tam (Vice Director of Water Resources Division in Kien Giang), the presentations started.
Dr Vu Tien Duc (Royal HaskoningDHV) presented the different design options for ecological embankments that could be applied in the pilot area in Kien Giang Province. After the presentations, the participants were divided into 3 groups in which they analysed and discussed the different designs from technical, social, environmental, and financial perspective.
There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm during the discussions. As part of the Blue Dragon programme goals, there was also interprovincial cooperation by participants of Can Tho and Hau Giang giving their expertise on the pilot project in Kien Giang. The meeting resulted in recommendations on what designs should be considered during the next phase. Also, important recommendations were provided on how to improve the selected designs. The designs will be updated.