Image above – Vietnam Fellows with Steve Morton (left) and Alec Rolston (centre)
In November, the Goyder Institute for Water Research was proud to host 15 Fellows from Vietnam in South Australia as part of the Australia Awards Fellowships Program funded by the Australian Government. Fellows included officials, researchers, lecturers and practitioners from policy-making agencies, research institutes, universities and irrigation companies on water management, agricultural, aquacultural sectors. This intensive knowledge exchange program focused on building capacity in irrigation and water management.
Across their 14-day visit, the Fellows engaged with more than 25 Australian organisations, connecting with leading practitioners, researchers and all levels of government across Adelaide, Northern Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Langhorne Creek and the Limestone Coast. From irrigation schemes and on-ground works to policy discussions and community engagement, the group experienced holistic view of South Australia’s approach to integrated water management.
The visit focused on:
• Water allocation planning
• Irrigation modernisation
• Water accounting and economics
• Managed aquifer recharge and stormwater management
• Community and stakeholder engagement
• Integrated water resource management at basin scale.
These connections, insights and partnerships developed during the visit will inform the Fellow’s case studies and support improvements in water allocation, irrigation efficiency, policy design and climate-resilient water governance. These learnings and partnerships will also strengthen provincial planning and foster long term Australia-Vietnam collaboration in sustainable water management.
Dr Dinh Van Dao, Institute for Water Resources Economics and Management, the lead of the delegation said: “Our visit to South Australia demonstrated the value of integrating science, policy and community perspectives in water resources management. Learning from approaches that combine environmental stewardship with evidence-based methodologies for climate adaptation, water accounting, allocation planning and robust regulation and governance has given us practical insights to support sustainable and equitable water management in Vietnam”.
A huge thank you to all partners and host organisations who contributed their time, knowledge and generosity in making the Australian component of the program such a success.
Australian experts will travel to Vietnam early this year to visit northern provinces and learn more about the Fellows’ case study areas. A series of online workshops will further support the development and collaboration on this work. Several key action items were identified during the visit, and work will now begin to solidify ongoing collaboration and drive continued progress.
To learn more about Australia Awards Fellowships please visit: https://www.dfat.gov.au/people-people/australia-awards/australia-awards-fellowships
