Blue Dragon: piloting nature based solutions in the Mekong Delta

Introduction

The Blue Deal partnership in Vietnam (called Blue Dragon Program) is a capacity building program in the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam and is one of the 17 Blue Deal partnerships.

The Blue Dragon Program includes several training courses that facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences. Each course has a unique theme and lasts an average of 1.5 years, comprising approximately five weeks of one-week training. The program has evolved over the past few years, with pilot investment projects alongside the training courses, using additional funding.

Pilot project based on Nature Based Solutions

The first pilot project to be implemented deals with erosion prevention alongside a canal in An Giang province in the Mekong Delta. Erosion of embankments in the Mekong Delta is widespread and has numerous causes. Along the Mekong River the main reason is sand mining where the bottom of the river is getting deeper and deeper causing embankments to collapse. Away from the river embankments also erode due to water currents, waves caused by passing ships, dredging and lack of maintenance.

The aim of this pilot along a canal is to use a design based on Nature Based Solutions and monitor and evaluate the pilot for future scaling towards other provinces of the Mekong Delta.

Social Inclusion is another important part of the pilot, whereas the inhabitants along the canal are not only informed but are part of the design process of the ecological embankment preventing erosion.

NWB-fund

The important first funding to start the pilot project was granted by the NWB-fund. With the grant the project can finance the concept design and organize stakeholder meetings to give input on and comments on the designs.

The concept design was completed by consultant Haskoning Vietnam. This concept design was presented to all partners of the Blue Dragon Program at the end of 2024. On this day experts from not only An Giang province but also other partner provinces commented on the concept design. Community representatives of the inhabitants along the proposed canal were present as well. Based on the comments received Haskoning adjusted the concept design. During 2025 and 2026 the concept design is being developed based on local surveys into the detailed design. Further stakeholder meetings are scheduled to give further input into the detailed design and to comment on the final version. These meetings are also being funded by the grant received from NWB-fund.

Implementation and monitoring

Implementation of the pilot project is planned for 2026 with funding from Partners for Water and counterpart funding by An Giang province (50/50).

As mentioned the costs for stakeholder involvement, stakeholder monitoring and monitoring and evaluation of the pilot into a scalable business case is funded by NWB-fund. This monitoring phase will be concluded by the end of 2027.

Location of pilot project

Partner workshop with comments being collected on concept design.

Partner workshop with comments on concept design being presented.

Partner workshop with comments on concept design being presented.

Location of proposed embankment using NBS.