Seminar discusses climate change and food security
(VOV) - The role of the media in dealing with climate change and food security was discussed at a seminar in Hanoi on November 17.
During the seminar, reporters from media agencies were provided with information about the negative impacts of climate change on the socio-economic fields and the agricultural sector which has threatened food security.
Experts presented solutions to climate change response and sustainable livelihood models in agricultural production with adaptation to climate change.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said the Prime Minister has approved a national strategy for natural disaster response until 2020 and launched a national target programme to deal with the issue. Vietnam is now a member of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture and has actively adapted to climate change with a view to making policy improvements and intensify investment in the agricultural field.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the seminar aimed at enhancing the involvement of reporters in disseminating information on the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security in Vietnam. According to the CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Regional Programme for Southeast Asia (CCAFS-SEA), Vietnam is one of the nations in the region that has been adversely impacted by global warming and rising sea levels.
Over the past 50 years, the average temperature in Vietnam increased from 0.5 to 0.7 degree Celsius while sea levels have also risen by 20cm. Annually, natural disasters in the country have caused great losses equivalent to 1.5% of total GDP. Climate change has also affected over 12% of agricultural land area and some 25% of Vietnam’s population.