Improving the adaptive capacity to climate change of rice production systems in the Mekong Delta Region

The project is aiming to improving the adaptive capacity of rice production systems in the MDR, by providing farmers and management agencies with new technologies and practices that will provide resilience in the rice cropping system under the likely climatic changes faced from climate change.A set of clear research objectives and methods have been designed by project partners building on previous research results and local knowledge and paying attention to the participation of all stakeholders, including farmers. The expected outputs from the research are:• Improvement of rice germplasm for higher tolerance to stagnant flooding, salinity stress and anaerobic conditions during germination,• Land use alternatives to sole rice systems that may either replace or be implemented in rotation with the rice crop for better income,• Decision tools for farmers and key institutions,• Soil management guidelines for nutrient cycling and inundation of acid sulphate soils,• Evaluation of the extent of adaptive capacity and other benefits likely to result from a range of climate change adaptation options,• Response strategies through land use planning for the predicted salinity and flooding changes, and• Technologies and knowledge to improve food security in the Mekong Delta. Read more: ACIAR : http://aciar.gov.au/node/13408 Duration: 2011–14