By Tin Di
TVU – Tra Vinh University successfully hosts the Mekong Salt Lab (MSL) forum on October 24-25, 2024, bringing together domestic and international experts to address critical climate challenges in the Mekong Delta region.
The high-profile event welcomes distinguished guests, including Mr. Daniël Coenraad Stork, Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Willem Timmerman, First Secretary for Climate and Water at the Dutch Embassy; and Mr. Gregor Van Essen, Director of The Water Agency (Netherlands) and MSL Project Director.
Prof. Dr. Pham Tiet Khanh, Chairman of TVU’s Board of Directors and President of the Vietnam Association of Community Colleges (VACC), emphasizes the importance of addressing climate change and increasing saltwater intrusion affecting the Mekong Delta region’s agriculture and livelihoods. “TVU is honored to be an MSL member, actively contributing to climate change adaptation and saltwater intrusion management,” he states.
The two-day forum features two main activities: field visits to experimental models at Con Chim, Hoa Minh commune, Chau Thanh district on October 24, and professional discussions on sustainable value chain strategies for saltwater agriculture on October 25 at TVU’s campus.
During the forum, Mr. Gregor Van Essen presents six successful operational models: household rainwater storage, agricultural rainwater storage, open hydroponics, surface water treatment, rainwater-to-drinking water processing, and wastewater treatment using flooding methods.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Diep Thanh Tung, TVU’s Vice Rector, thanks the Dutch government for project funding and commits to expanding these models within the community. “TVU will continue training human resources in relevant fields to ensure the project’s sustainable future implementation,” he affirms.
Mr. Willem Timmerman, First Secretary for Climate and Water, concludes the forum by highlighting the project’s contribution to raising community awareness about environmental protection and climate change response, particularly in developing sustainable, smart agricultural cultivation models that reduce emissions in the context of increasing saltwater intrusion and drought.
The project primarily supports three key groups: Mekong Delta farmers, local authorities, and agricultural enterprises, which contribute to the sustainable development of the region, including Tra Vinh province.
