“Civil Society Organizations’ Experiences in Responding to Climate Change in Agriculture” workshop

On 26 August 2011, 70 participants attended the "Civil Society Organizations' Experiences in Responding to Climate Change in Agriculture" workshop, collaboratively hosted by SRD and the Embassy of the United States of America.

Vu Thi Bich Hop (Ms.), Eric Frater (Mr.), and Shana Udvardy (Ms.) (from right to left)

This all-day workshop features keynote speaker Shana Udvardy, Director of Flood Management Policy, American Rivers, with opening and closing remarks by Eric Frater, Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer at the Embassy of the United States of America. The workshop also showcased a wide range of presenters, representing civil society organizations, government, and the private sector.

Shana Udvardy gave the keynote address, entitled "Natural Defenses: Sharing information about climate change." Shana presented information on the current and potential impacts of climate change on river systems, both in the United States and in Vietnam, and made comparisons between the Mississippi River and the Mekong River. She commented that "...we are finding ourselves living in a new normal, with increasing frequency and duration of droughts, and increasing frequency and intensity of flooding... We think this argues for a new paradigm; a paradigm of resilience, that is flexible, and relies on our natural defenses."

SRD's Executive Director, Vu Thi Bich Hop, commented that the workshop had been highly productive. "It was fantastic to have so many participants here today, with representatives from the north, south, and centre. We have been able to learn from experts, share experiences, and build a better network - and these connections will be just as valuable as the other work we have done here today. We have had a healthy and energetic debate, which is very positive; it's great to have so much input, and it leads us to a deeper understanding of the complexity of the issues."

-SRD-