- Integrating mangrove reforestation into its ODA project -

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister MOON, Seong-Hyeok) announced that as part of its official development assistance (ODA) endeavors, it is implementing the 1st Year Technical Cooperation Project for Aquaculture Productivity Enhancement in Northern Vietnam. For the successful implementation of the project, MOF is leveraging the untapped potential of blue carbon* resources (mangroves) in the coastal region of Vietnam.

* Carbon sequestered and stored by coastal plants, such as halophytes and seagrass, tidal wetlands, and other marine ecosystems

The coastal region in northern Vietnam, the target area of the project, is home to mangrove forests* and tidal wetlands. After the mid-1990s, the region experienced a “Golden Era” with a booming shellfish farming industry. However, the overfishing of marine resources and coastal environmental degradation in recent years have had grave implications on the natural production of seed clams, causing disruptions in the supply of clam seeds and, in turn, a sharp drop in shellfish harvests.

* Shrubs growing in coastal salt marshes or tidal wetlands or plant communities along tropical coasts that serve not only as a buffer against coastal erosion and natural disasters caused by rising sea levels, but also as feeding and breeding grounds for marine species

To address this, the Vietnamese government requested that Korea share its leading aquaculture farming techniques, which has resulted in the National Institute of Fisheries Science embarking on a five-year technical cooperation project in aquaculture. After a two-year pilot project, the full-scale project will be implemented from 2022 to 2026 with a total budget of KRW 3 billion. As a model of interdepartmental collaboration that combines Korea Forest Service’s ongoing mangrove reforestation efforts (330 hectares for 2020 to 2024 with a budget of KRW 4.5 billion) and the MOF’s aquaculture expertise, the project is expected to restore habitats rich in organic matter through mangrove rehabilitation and create synergy with shellfish farming.

More specifically, through the project, MOF will modernize aging seed production facilities and idle aquaculture sites in northern Vietnam as well as dispatch Korean aquaculture experts to the region for technology transfer and capacity-building education. These measures are expected to revitalize aqua farming in the region and raise income levels in local communities. After the project performance evaluation, MOF will consider rolling out the project in other New Southern Policy (NSP) countries with similar conditions and characteristics.

Before undertaking this project, MOF donated Korea Maritime & Ocean University’s training ship Hannara to Vietnam as a follow-up to the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit held in November 2019, thus helping the nation nurture marine engineers. It has also leveraged Korea’s stewardship in ocean observation and forecasting to improve Vietnam’s marine disaster and accident response, cementing cooperation on oceans and fisheries with Vietnam, a key NSP partner country.

Kim Hyun-Tae, Director General for International Cooperation Policies at MOF, commented, “This is our first ODA project that integrates our advanced aquaculture and reforestation techniques. We expect that this will not only resuscitate Vietnam's sluggish aquaculture production, but also provide an inroad for Korean aquaculture feed and facility businesses to enter overseas markets.” He added, “We will make further efforts to expand our cooperation with NSP nations by developing additional collaborative business models.”