Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing human being in the 21st century. Climate change will seriously affect life, production and environment worldwide. Temperature rise and sea level rise may cause drought, floods and salinity water intrusion into agricultural land - thus, harm agriculture and pose risks to industries and socio-economic systems in the future. In addition, Vietnam is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. Its long coastline with more 3,200 km and large deltas make it particularly susceptible to more intense and frequent natural disasters, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and salinity water intrusion.
The purpose of a workshop was to create a network where young scientists could exchange and share their results in Biodiversity and Biotechnology studies in response to climate change. The workshop would provide young scientists with more information about situations by people affected by the consequences of climate change worldwide as well as in Vietnam, and solutions to respond to climate change now and in future.
Therefore, YPARD Vietnam has organized a successful workshop on The role of Biodiversity and Biotechnology in response to climate change on 15-November 2013 at Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The workshop gathered more than 60 participants from Binh Duong University, Cat Tien National Park, TienGiang Department of Science and Technology, BacLieu Department of Science and Technology, DaNang Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Research Center for Climate change, and participants from different faculties of Nong Lam University.
They were young scientists who study in different areas related to agriculture to respond to climate change such as Biodiversity, Forestry, Plant breeding, microorganisms. YPARD Vietnam invited 14 speakers from various universities and institutes to present their achievements at the workshop. For example, Assoc. Dr. Nguyen Kim Loi, director of Research Center for Climate change shared his results on Online supporting system flood warning for Vu Gia watershed, Quang Nam province, Vietnam. These results were very interesting because the information from online supporting system flood warning could be used for flooding forecast in Quang Nam province.
Another presentation was Study culture Leucocoprinus cepaestipes (Sow.,Fr.) Pat., a new species mushroom for Vietnam collected in Cat Tien National Park, South of Vietnam, by scientist Nguyen Thi Anh from Cat Tien National Park. The study contributed more information about biodiversity as well as mushroom collection in Cat Tien National Park. Specially, the mushroom was found by scientist Nguyen Thi Anh as appropriate for food purpose. In addition, Nguyen Thi Thuy Lieu from Bac Lieu Department of Science and Technology shared her results with title The climate change and the role of biodiversity and agricultural biotechnology in Bac Lieu province. She presented about the situation of Bac Lieu province in response to climate change. Bac Lieu is one of provinces located in the Southeast coast of the Mekong Delta and also is one of the provinces most threatened by climate change. Some other interesting presentations were also presented at workshop.