Capacity building

1. Department of Water Resources Management

Training: Training programs initiated when MARD carried the state water resource management functions should be reviewed momentum in that area should be retained. Any refocus will most likely have to be directed through the donors as many of the capacity building programs funds are sourced in donors’ programs. It is recommended that a training needs assessment should be carried out once the initial recruitment of DWRM leaders and staff has been completed. Based on this training needs assessment, a new training plan should be prepared, approved by MONRE and recommended to donors for their support.

The DWRM personnel may require external support from international experts on the change management activities, including activation and capacity building of the Department. This will require further discussion between MONRE and donors. Timing will be important; if assistance is not forthcoming the recommendations of the Task Force regarding application of modern corporate planning and Project Management Systems will not be used. The opportunity for DWRM to “get it right” from the beginning should not be lost.

In the change period it may be wise for DWRM and MONRE to seek a different form of donor support. One option might be to have nominated international experts available on a retainer basis to provide agreed levels of advise when sought by DWRM and approved by the donors at the local level. This could allow international experts to support a local advisory committee at key points. Another option may be to seek a “twinning program” with one or more parallel water resource management agencies in other countries. This could be very helpful to allow DWRM to call on expertise at a variety of levels to assist with specific, practical problems. This could also form part of a training program, in which DWRM staff could be placed on temporary assignment in the parallel agency for on-the-job training and experience. This could be a very valuable modality for acquiring skills for technical topics such as establishment of a water licensing system.

Future Capacity Building Needs

As indicated in Section Training, an emphasis on training will be needed to build up the capacity of DWRM to carry out its various functions. It is recommended that a training needs assessment (TNA) should be carried out once the initial recruitment of DWRM leaders and staff has been completed, and a training plan should be prepared, approved by MONRE and recommended to donors for their support. MONRE should discuss the possibility of adjusting or expanding the scope of the “Capacity Building in the National Water Resources Council” (VWRMAP, Component 1) to carry out this TNA and training plan development.

In addition to or as part of one or more of the existing capacity building projects, it is recommended that nominated international experts should be made available on a retainer basis to provide agreed levels of advise when sought by DWRM and approved by the donors at the local level. This could allow international experts to work with a local advisory committee at key points to support DWRM. Another option may be to seek a “twinning program” with one or more parallel water resource management agencies in other countries. This could be very helpful to allow DWRM to call on expertise at a variety of levels to assist with specific, practical problems. This could also form part of a training program, in which DWRM staff could be placed on temporary assignment in the parallel agency for on-the-job training and experience, providing useful support for acquiring skills for technical topics such as establishment of a water licensing system.

Source: Final Report, Transition of Water Resource Management from MARD to MONRE, Joint Task Force, June 2003.
http://www.isgmard.org.vn/

2. Training and awareness

Due to limited funds available for training in the current project, and in an effort to increase donor coordination, a joint training approach will be pursued with the AusAID Viet Nam Water Resource Management Assistance Project (VWRMAP) and the Danida Water SPS projects. Those projects include training components which closely parallel the training objectives of this project.

AusAID VWRMAP

Component 1 of the VWRMAP is entitled “Capacity Building in the National Water Resources Council” and its objective is “to develop increased understanding of integrated water resource management (IWRM) and global advances in water resources management in NWRC members and high level officials of agencies with a role in water resources management.”(AusAID, “Water Resources Management Assistance Project, Final Project Design Document”, February 2001, p. 33.)

The expected outputs of the VWRMAP Component 1 are:

• An integrated training program that identifies initial training requirements, high level workshops, training modules and international study visits
• High-level workshops in IWRM principles conducted in accordance with the agreed integrated training program
• Study visits in accord with the integrated training program, and
• IWRM training modules conducted in accordance with the agreed integrated training program.

The proposed targets of this training program include members of the NWRC, assistants and advisors to Council, key decision makers in national ministries and agencies, key decision makers at the provincial level, women and other decision makers.

Component 1 is expected to take place over a 29 month duration, starting in October 2001, with a budget of $1.47 million (Aus).

Danida WaterSPS

Component 1.1 of the Water Sector Program Support Project, Danida (WaterSPS) is entitled “Support to Implementation of the Law on Water Resources” and its objective is to “assist the reform and strengthening of DWRHWM to implement identified water resources management functions under the LWR in cooperation with other national and provincial water resources agencies and in coordination with other sub-components of the WaterSPS.” (Danida, Initial Planning of Support to Implementation of the Law on Water Resources, Sub-Component 1.1, Water Sector Program Support, August 2001, p. 39.)

Output 5 of this component is to “assist DWRHWM to develop the human resource capacity to carry out appropriate water resource management roles.” The training will enhance the functions and performance of the DWRHWM, including: i) organization and capacity building, ii) development of policies, strategies and secondary legislation, iii) data and information management, iv) integrated water resource planning, v) water resource regulation, and vi) education, awareness and consultation.

Although the focus of the assistance under the Danida WaterSPS Component 1.1 is on DWRHWM, the close association between the Department and ONWRC and NWRC means that this training will be of great benefit to the work of the Council and will be closely linked with the training objectives of the present project.

Joint Training Needs Assessment and Planning

Initial discussions with AusAID and Danida representatives have indicated that a cooperative and coordinated approach to training between those two projects and the present project can be taken. Work is now underway to develop TOR for a single, joint training needs assessment (TNA) and training plan. The training plan is expected to indicate the full range of training activities which will be conducted by the three projects. It will also indicate which activities should be carried out under each project and for which, if any, there are insufficient funds or other limitations. For training activities which cannot be funded under any of the three projects, other sources of funding will be sought.

The steps which are recommended to prepare and implement a coordinated training program in integrated water resource management are:

1. Form a joint Training Coordinating Committee, with representation from the three projects and from MARD and a small number of other agencies
2. Form an interministry Training and Awareness Working Group to assist in planning and supervising training activities under the three projects.
3. Carry out a joint training needs assessment and formulate a joint training plan, recognizing the training priorities of MARD and other agencies and the training objectives of the three projects
4. Implement the training program under AusAID and Danida support
5. Identify any gaps that cannot be met with AusAID and Danida support and seek funding from other sources

Source: Inception report – National coordination for water resources management
ADB TA 3528 – VIE, subproject 1, Viet Nam, December 2001.
http://www.isgmard.org.vn/