OV scientist in France helps promote sustainable rice cultivation in Mekong Delta

In the last five years, Thuy involved herself in three projects – Georice hosted by the European Space Agency (ESA), GEMMES Vietnam funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), and VietSCO jointly implemented by the French Space Agency and the Vietnam National Space Centre. 

The projects aim to monitor and observe flood, drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta by satellites, thus analysing their impact on rice yield, building a future simulation scenario of climate change and human impacts, and making predictions about effects on the region in the future.

The Mekong Delta is one of the key rice-growing regions of Vietnam, where monitoring is needed for measures to prevent crop damage caused by climate change, Thuy said. 

GeoRice has been implemented for two years, helping locals, managers, and policymakers of regional localities take appropriate adaptation solutions, thus ensuring rice farming in a sustainable manner.

Thuy said she hopes for more support from leaders at all levels, and expand cooperation with domestic scientists so that the projects’ next phases can be carried out smoothly.

As a partner in the projects, Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of VNSC, said the monitoring of rice area and monthly yield forecasting have brought about many benefits, helping Vietnamese farmers and businesses prevent and reduce damage caused by natural disasters, and build appropriate business plans. 

According to Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, Thuy  is an example in scientific research, and also the leading female scientific researcher of the Vietnamese community there.

He highlighted the significance of the projects, saying that they not only contribute to strengthening scientific and technological cooperation, but also the friendship between Vietnam and France.