Climate change is changing the appreance of ecosystem and poses potential risk to world biodiversity. With regards to agriculture, to give priority to developing crops and livestocks being capable of resisting heat, drought, flooding and salinity is a very important strategies to adapt to climate change.
At Red River Delta, Day River originates from Red River and flows to Tonkin Gulf. Day River has been for flood diversion as part of flood control in Red River Delta. Frequent floods diverted to Day River have greatly affected the way the local residents live and produce agricultural products. The local residents have learnt extensive experience in planting fruit-bearing trees at home garden as a strategy to cope with flood impacts and at the same time generate income. The flood-prone area of Day River has been known as to accommodate a very abundant and diverse source of genes of fruit-bearing species including species of grapefruits, custard-apple, oranges, limes and banana of which grapefruit is very well-known for its taste.
The local common commercial variety of grapefruit is Dien variety accounts for 350 hectares and is continuously inreasing. However, this variety has disadvantage of being poorly resistant to diseases, slow maturation of fruits and vulnerable to flood. It is therefore critial to identify and apply some other grapefruit varieties which has faster fruit maturation, high quality, highly resistant to diseases and flooding in order to inrease adaptive capacity of the crops in the face of climate change.
One of grapefruit varieties that have been identified by the Centre for Plant Resources is Que Duong variety, with desirable qualifications such as wide range of adaptability, high yield (1.5-2 tones of fruits/annua), high rate of fruit maturation and good resistance to disease. Notably, this variety, that is found at Cat Que Commune, requires nearly no insecticide spray. Furthermore, this variety is highly resistant to flood, which is rarely observed among other grapefruit varieties. This is due to its fast growth and high stem as compared to Dien variety. This variety has survived big floods in 1945, 1969 and 1971.
Surveys revealed that traditional knowledge on planting and harvesting techniques for local grapefruits exist but need to be consolidated and updated with more advanced technologies. On the other hand, there is a lack of awareness of the local residents? on climate chanage, agricultural biodiversity. As a result, to develop a model for conservation and development of a more diverse grapefruit gene pool, with a focus on genes that are highly adaptable to unfavourable natural conditions such as flooding, and droughts will be an effective way to contribute to protection of the environment and generating incomes for the local residents in the context of potential climate change impacts on the Red River Delta.
Long-term objective
The project aims to contribute to conserving and improving agricultural biodiversity as a coping strategy to climate change scenario at Red River Delta through developing some models for conserving and developing grapefruit varieties which have advantages of fast fruits maturity, good commercial quality, and being high resistant to the flood-prone conditions as a diverstion area of Day river.
Immediate objectives
Objective 1: To identify negative impacts of climate change on gratefruit genetic biodiversity at the flood-diverted area of Day River (Hoai Duc District)
Output 1.1. A report is produced on the extreme weathers (temperature, rainfll, flooding, drought) on degree and distribution of grapefruit genetic biodiversity at the project target site
Objective 2: To assess and select the best grapefruit variety with desirable characterisics including high rate of fruit maturation, high commercial quality, resistance to diseases and unfavourable weather conditions for commerciap production
Output 2.1 A survey report is produced on the production, biological properties and advantages of grapefruit genes and their commerical value in the face of climate change-related unfavourable conditions at Cat Que Commune.
Output 2.2: 2-3 grapefruit varieties with desirable qualifications are selected and multiplied.
Objective 3: To develop demonstration models for some selected grapefruit variety with suitable cultivation techniques
Output 3.1: A model for community conservation of grapefruit genetic biodiversity at Cat Que Commune at 5-7 genes and 100 individuals/gene is developed
Output 3.2: A model for conservation of 2 seleted grapefruit variety with suitable cultivation techniques is developed for commerical production prupose: 50 households will participate with land area involved 300-360 m2/household
Objective 4: To enhance the local residents? awareness about the potential impact and trends in climate change on agricultural biodiversity of Red River Delta.
Output 4.1: Advocacy activities on threats of climate change on biodiversity are sucessfully organized
Output 4.2: Awareness and capacity of the community is enhanced. Development of Que Duong grapefruit is integrated into the soci-economic programme of Cat Que Commune and Hoai Duc District
Major activities:
- Surveys and collection of weather data from Ha Noi Meteological station during the last 10 years
- Organize participatory discussion and workshops on impacts of climate change
- Survey (interviewing local people) to decide the suitable grapefruit varieties for selection for use
- Selecting the best varieties with participation of various stakeholders (experts, producers, consumers, local officers and households)
- Tag the lead grapefruit tree and map the grapefruit gene pool as basis for future conservation and multiplication
- Provide technical and financial funding to households participating in conserving the selected varieties
- Develop 2 nursing sites (100 m2 each) to multiply grapefruits
- Rapid multiplication of Que Duong grapefruit variety using VietGap-oriented techniques
- Develop models on Que Duong grapefruit plantations using 2 varieties for commecial production purpose
- Training on market access for participating households.
- Document traditional knowledge to produce a publication on techniques on nursing and cultivation of Que Duong grapefruit varieties