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Project Number 00015588
Location: An Giang province
Start Date: Feb-2007
Duration: 13 months
Funding: US$182,250 from USAID and UNDP
Executing Agency: People Committee of An Giang province
Implementing Agency: An Giang Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)

Objectives:

* Reducing vulnerability of poor coastal and inland households in the An Giang province to negative impacts of annual flooding through piloting new technology for flood proofing housing and residential clusters.

Key Results:

* Develop and promote flood proofing for a raised platform foundation for houses and villages using low cost and state-of-the-art geo-synthetic materials in poor coastal and inland communes in the Mekong River Delta of Viet Nam.

* Provide training for communities on how to build and maintain a raised foundation for a safe and flood proof house and small-scale public infrastructure and DRR, particularly for households in high risk areas that have not moved to residential clusters

Status: Ongoing

Profile:

Flooding is a major problem, which severely affects all the Mekong River riparian countries. Located in the lowest area of the Mekong River Basin, the annual flooding in the Mekong River Delta in Viet Nam is more frequent and the flooded areas are larger than in any other country of the Mekong River Basin. An Giang is the upstream province in the Mekong River Delta. The water depth and flood duration is higher and longer than those of other provinces in the region. Families living in low-level houses in the coastal and inland areas of the Mekong River Delta are the ones who suffer the most from the annual flooding. Flood waters seep into their houses with prolonged flooding rendering the houses inhabitable. In a worse case scenario, a strong wave of water may wash houses out completely. Rebuilding houses when people’s only source of income, rice crops, is also lost in a flood proves to be almost impossible.

This project aims at reducing vulnerability of poor coastal and inland households in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam to negative impacts of annual flooding through piloting new technology for flood proofing housing and residential clusters in An Giang province. This pilot is in line with the Government’s strategies for disaster risk reduction in the Mekong River Delta. Through this project, UNDP aims to support growth that is more equitable, inclusive and sustainable and enhance capacity to effectively reduce risks of, and respond to, climate-related disasters, particularly among the most vulnerable groups.

Specifically the project component will include the demonstration of enhanced flood proofing for houses and villages in selected districts of An Giang Province. This will be implemented by using suitable low cost and state-of-the-art geo-synthetic materials. The composite geo-textile will be used for construction of a raised reinforced platform foundation for houses that will not settle into the soft clay of the Mekong Delta foundation sediments. Thus houses will remain above design flood levels. Moreover, the project will provide grassroots consultation and trainings on how to build raised platform foundations to flood proof houses for poor households, local construction workers and authorities at the commune and village level.


Delivery in 2007: US$49,198 (as of February 15, 2008)

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Contact:

UNDP Programme Officer: Ugo Blanco
Add: 25-29 Phan Boi Chau
Ha Noi – Viet Nam
Tel: (84 4) 942 1495 ext. 151
Fax: (84 4) 942 2267

Name of National Project Director NDP: Do Vu Hung
Add: Chau Doc
An Giang -Viet Nam
Tel: (84 76) 853704
Fax: (84 76) 857573