Participants discussed ways to integrate climate change response and disaster risk reduction into socio-economic development at a two-day workshop that wrapped up on Friday in the Mekong Delta's Tien Giang Province.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang are struggling to find water to irrigate their watermelon crops amid drought and saline intrusion, that are hitting the province harder year by year.

Do Ngoc Hoa, deputy director of Nam Dinh's Planning and Investment Department, said that the province had focused on reinforcing dyke systems to prevent salinity intrusion and strong floods during the rainy season and had mobilised local farmers to expand aquaculture activities instead of cultivation.

Central coastal Quang Nam Province spent VND135 billion (US$) to adapt to climate change during the 2011-15 period, representative Huynh Van Muoi said. Schools were built sturdily so they could serve as shelters if natural disasters hit and the province worked to raise public awareness about climate change response and disaster risk reduction.

Ngo Thanh Nhanh, an official of southern Tra Vinh Province's Planning and Investment Department, said that with support from OXFAM, the province had made plans to implement climate change response and disaster risk reduction projects in 105 communes and wards.

Viet Nam, with 28 coastal provinces and cities, is one of the countries most affected by climate change.

The workshop was co-organised by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and non-governmental organisations.