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Planting Mangroves for Disaster Mitigation
Description/achievement of initiative

In Vietnam, government and nonprofit investments are made for dyke maintenance, and harvest rights for marine products are granted to local communities since 1994. By early 2000s, around 7,750 families had improved their livelihoods through decreased vulnerability to natural disasters and through the selling of crabs, shrimps, and mollusks.
Source: World Resources Institute (2011) A Compilation of Green Economy Policies, Programs, and Initiatives from Around the World. The Green Economy in Practice: Interactive Workshop 1, February 11th, 2011



The mudflats of the Red River delta were claimed for agriculture over several centuries by building dykes. Local communities traditionally left a band of natural saltwater tolerant mangrove forest between the dykes and the sea to protect against waves, wind and typhoon damage. During the 1970s, the mangroves were cut for fuel and were sprayed with defoliants, destroying most of this natural band and leaving the area more vulnerable to natural disaster. The government and several NGOs campaigned to reforest the coastline and with the support of the International Federation, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Danish Red Cross, the Vietnamese Red Cross planted more than 175 km� of mangrove forest along almost 200 km of coastline. Local communities carried out the planting and were granted the right to harvest marine products such as crabs and mussels in the areas they had planted for a number of years.
Red Cross estimates that 7,750 families have improved livelihoods through decreased vulnerability to natural disasters and through the selling of crabs, shrimps, and mollusks. Dyke maintenance cost is reduced.

Implementation methodologies

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Coordination mechanisms/governance structure

Partner(s)

Progress reports
Goal 8

Basic information
Time-frame: - 1994
Partners
Countries
Contact information
United Nations