The Prime Minister has recently approved a project providing technical assistance to phase II of a project on agricultural development in the Phan Ri-Phan Thiet irrigation areas of the southern central province of Binh Thuan.

The second phase of the agricultural development project, which targets localities benefitting from the Phan Ri-Phan Thiet Irrigation Project, will design and expand advanced water management systems in crop cultivation areas.

It is scheduled to be carried out from May 2015 to May 2017 at a cost of 2 million USD in official development assistance (ODA) funded by the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The Vietnamese side will also finance phase II with 1.5 billion VND (70,000 USD).

The Phan Ri-Phan Thiet Irrigation Project is designed to help Binh Thuan use water effectively in the Japanese ODA-supported Dai Ninh hydropower plant, completed in 2008.

Binh Thuan is traditionally known for its low rainfall. In March, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development warned that worrying water levels in all 16 reservoirs of the province is likely to lead to a widespread drought.-VNA