ADPC conducted a four-day training course on ecosystem resilience from 25–28 August 2014. The training course was part of the AusAID funding program on “Mainstreaming Climate Information Application for Enhancement of Ecosystem Services and Functions for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Nilawala and Mekong River Basins in Sri Lanka and Vietnam.” The project is a joint collaboration between ADPC, the Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment, and the Sub-Institute of Hydrometeorology and Environment of South Vietnam (SIHYMETE). The main objective of the course was to enhance the existing knowledge and skills of officials and professionals on ecosystems management. In particular the course focused on the restoration of degraded ecosystems, as an appropriate action for DRR in river deltas and estuaries within the DRR domain.

The training was developed to familiarize participants with their role in environmental protection, to create an understanding of natural ecosystems, to explore possible threats incurred on ecosystem survival due to natural hazards and human activity, and to review appropriate methods to restore ecosystems.

The training was intended for those working in fields related to environment, agriculture, irrigation, disaster management, policy making, law, economics, finance, and insurance as well as anyone interested in a broader vision of environmental protection and economic growth.

The main outcome of the training was to enhance participants’ understanding of ecosystems, foster the perspective of ecosystems as natural dynamic systems, and encourage participants to think in an integrated manner for applications in disaster risk reduction. Emphasis was given to the ecological and economic importance of agro-ecosystems. Specifically, how agro-ecosystems could be adapted for livelihood improvement while maintaining natural balances. Participants also learned about climate, practical weather observation, how to apply weather data to optimize agricultural operations, and how to improve the economic and ecological returns of ecosystems. This training helped participants enhance their ability to assess ecosystems and find ways to improve ecosystem health through climate data applications, technological interventions, and community mobilization.

The project was deemed a success during the fifth management committee meeting held on 27 August 2014 chaired by Dr. Bao Thanh, DDG of IMHEN at the Tranoc Provincial Meeting Hall. The committee requested that the project be extended in order to arrive on a variation on course topics.

Resource persons from ADPC and IMHEN provided the training jointly. Their names are listed below:

1. Prof. K.D.N. Weerasinghe, Consultant ADPC and Senior Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
2. Dr. Buddhi Weerasinghe, Consultant ADPC
3. Dr. Bao Thanh, Deputy Director General, Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IMHEN)
4. Dr. Rishiraj Dutta, Technical Officer, ADPC