Mekong Delta region to cope with drought and salinisation

More than 300 hectares of summer-autumn rice crop in Hau Giang Province have been damaged by drought and saltwater. In order to protect the crops at risk, local authorities have taken urgent measures, including dredging local canals and building 100 dams to prevent saltwater intrusion into fields.

"We discharged the salt water in the fields to the west and southwest in order to protect the crops." - Le Hong Viet, Head, Long My District Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Hau Giang Province.

Until now, farmers in Kien Giang Province have cultivated 120,000 hectares of the summer-autumn rice crop.  Local authorities have invested 6.7 million USD to protect growing rice crops.  Irrigation ditches have been closed to stop the salt water.

"We closed the irrigation system to prevent saltwater intrusion into fields. At the moment, salinisation is under control." - Do Minh Nhut, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kien Giang Province

10,000 out of 800,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice crops have been destroyed due to lack of water. The number is likely to increase in the coming time as the drought and salinity have yet to reach their peak.

"We need to dredge local canals to keep water for irrigation. The saltwater intrusion is likely to last until May. So we need to take urgent measures to protect the crops." - Cao Duc Phat, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The temporary dams can only prevent salt water at this moment. In the long term, local authorities need to construct permanent works to prevent saline water intrusion./.