VIETNAM Water Resources Demand Management for Irrigation Workshop on Water Resources Demand Management Learning Forum for Irrigation July 2011, Bangkok Hotel, Thailand A COUNTRY ASSESSMENT

Contents Water resources and use; Irrigation infrastructure and economic aspects; Irrigation legal and institutional frameworks; Challenges of water demand management in Vietnam; Challenges for IWRM – an effective water demand management; Priority actions to ensure water demand for irrigation.

Water resources and use Highly complicated river network 2,372 rivers with length of over 10 km and 26 tributaries. 13 main rivers, 10 are transboundary (international) river basins. Provides an abundant supply of water of 255 bill. m 3 /year Rain Water Long term annual rainfall total of 1.960mm Total water volume of 640 billion m 3 anually Viet Nam is one of the world‘s highest- rainfall countries, but unevenly distributed both in space and time.

Surface water The total annual surface water is about 830 – 840 billion m 3. of which billion m 3 is generated within country‘s territory. Groundwater The total water reserves in all aquifers (sea island areas not included) is around m 3 /s, equipvalent to 63 billion m 3 per year Water resources and use

Water use in 9 major river basins

Irrigation infrastructure and economic aspects shift from self-supporting production to highly intensified cropland systems 125 trillion VND (~ US$8 billion) in irrigation infrastructure in the last four decades. Appr. 100 large to medium scale hydraulic works. more than 8000 other irrigation systems (e.g. reservoirs, weirs, irrigation and drainage gates and pumping stations).

Irrigation infrastructure and economic aspects The main irrigation form used is paddy field irrigation. ◦ gravity irrigation widely distributed in the Mekong region, in the Central North and coastal regions (3/5 of total irrigation schemes). ◦ irrigation pumps mainly located in the delta regions (~2/3 of total). informal (non-governmental) systems like small private pumps or small gravity diversions.

Irrigation infrastructure and economic aspects Water fee Irrigation Service Fees (ISF) was collected until 2008; Mainly based on crop type, cropping season, output and way of irrigation (partial, full). Disadvantaged farmers were exempt from paying fees (e.g. when the yield was destroyed by natural disasters). Investment Disadvantaged farmers were exempt from paying fees (e.g. when the yield was destroyed by natural disasters).

Legal and institutional frameworks Legal framework  The Law on Water Resources (20/Aug/1998) (soon to be revised)  Secondary legal documents:  The Decree on stipulating the implementation of the law on water resources (30/Dec/1999)  The Decree on Water resource information management (19/Dec/2003)  The Decree on Licensing for exploitation, utilization, use and discharge waste water (27 Jul 2004)  The Decree Integrated river basin management (submitting)  The Decree on sanctions against administrative violations of water resources management regulations (17 Mar 2005)  The National strategy on water resources to 2020 (14 Apr 2006)  ….. and so on.

Legal and institutional frameworks Level Technical Agency Irrigation Management CentralGovernmentMARD-- Province Provincial People's Committee DARD Irrigation&Drainage Management Company District District People's Committee ARD Division Irrigation Enterprise; Irrigation (Sub)Station Commune Commune People's Committee --Cooperative Irrigation Team VillageVillage Head--Cooperative Irrigation Team HamletHamlet Head--Farmers Source: Source: Biltonen et al, Pro-poor Intervention Strategies in Irrigated Agriculture in Asia (2003

Challenges of water demand management in Vietnam Lack of awareness of the importance of water resources management in sustainable development. Conflicts between protection of water resources and water supply, water security for development. Incomplete legal system for water resources management; Inadequate organisation and management capacity in water resources; Lack of mechanisms and policies, especially economic and financial policies in water resources; Inadequate and inaccurate information and data on water resources and constraints on information sharing.

CHALLENGES IN WATER DEMAND FOR IRRIGATION Unbalance between economic development and water resources protection; Lack of attention to the importance of ensuring environmental flows and of water ecosystem protection when developing physical structures on rivers; Polluted water can contaminate rivers, lakes and wetlands; Removal of mangrove forests and concrete lining of the banks of river and lakes is impacting on the flora cover in the basin and reducing the self-cleaning functions and natural processes of rivers; Inappropriate exploitation of minerals and other land-based activities in and along our rivers seriously change the living environment for many species of flora and fauna. Challenges of water demand management in Vietnam

Challenges The uneven distribution of the river network, uneven rainfall, prolonged dry seasons resulting in water supply problems in many areas; Quantity and quality of the surface water depends on the use of water in the upstream countries; Inadequate infrastructure for water supply and management; High speed of urbanisation, industrialisation and intensification of agriculture; Lack of institutional capacity.

Challenges (cont.) The shifting of responsibilities for water resources management to MONRE from other ministries is not yet completed; The institutional changes on national level are not yet completed on provincial and lower levels. Newly founded institutions for water resources management such as the provincial Departments of Natural Resources and Environment; The capacity of institutions on all levels to monitor, control and sanction water use, land use or water pollution remains weak.

Priority actions to ensure water demand for irrigation Develop a uniform way of water management in all fields based on a river-basin approach. Allow a shift in policies from supply-focused to demand- focused approach for the irrigation sector; Strengthen the policy and institutional framework for water demand management; Improve compliance and enforcement and deepen public participation and involvement; Expand and diversify investment in infrastructure for irrigation;

Priority actions to ensure water demand for irrigation Reflect the nature of water service products more effectively. Allow the (re)implementation of fees, duties and tax policies. Reflect the real costs of a water unit in order to ensure the security and sustainability of water services. Promote more proactive engagement in regional riparian cooperation and improving information management, Complete separation of the water management and service functions to support further decentralization of management authorities,

Thank you!