Officials scope out salinity, drought in localities

Hau Giang (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue on May 17 visited the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang to study saltwater intrusion in the locality.

While touring Tan Tien commune in Vi Thanh city, the official hailed the province’s efforts in salinity prevention, particularly its initiative to build temporary barrages.

More than 150 temporary dams have been formed across Hau Giang to prevent saline intrusion, which has encroached on more than 80 percent of local farming land, affecting more than 7,000 hectares of rice.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat asked the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong to review its agricultural production in tandem with irrigation development and forestation to cope with the drought.

During his fact-finding trip to Dak Nong to inspect the locality’s anti-drought efforts on May 17, the official said shifting crop structures and upgrading reservoirs was necessary.

The province should also support those affected by the natural disaster and help them recover their production when the rainy season comes.

Phat said that his ministry would consider the province’s request for financial support to construct irrigation facilities.

Since the end of 2015, the El Nino-induced prolonged drought, high temperatures and low humidity have dried rivers and streams across Dak Nong with Krong No, Cu Jut, Dak Mil, Dak Song and Dak G’Long districts suffering the worst water shortages.

The drought has affected nearly 7,750 local households and 23,000 hectares of trees, mostly industrial trees like coffee and pepper, causing estimated economic losses of 1 trillion VND (45 million USD).

To deal with the situation, the province has devised anti-drought plans during winter-spring and summer-autumn crops, monitored water resources, switched over 1,100 hectares of rice to corn and sweet potatoes, built temporary dams and aided affected locals.-VNA