A canal dries up in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau (Photo: VNA)
Tien Giang (VNA) – Different countermeasures are being employed by many provinces to get through the impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion on local agriculture and aquaculture.
In the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, the phenomena are threatening more than 17,000ha of rice, other crops and fruit trees, including around 3,000ha of starfruit trees along the banks of the Tien River, a branch of the Cuu Long (Mekong) River, in Chau Thanh district.
The Vice Chairman of the Chau Thanh People’s Committee, Le Huu Phong, said about 210 irrigation works with a total length of over 180km were created across the district recently to water farming areas.
Anti-saline encroachment dams have been built in important locations such as Sau Au – Xoai Hot canal in Binh Duc commune, and Mot canal in Long Dinh commune. Meanwhile, the salinity of water on rivers and canals is monitored regularly to operate culverts and dams in a proper manner.
Phong added that authorities have asked farmers to dredge canals to store freshwater and gave guidance in how to tend their crops and fruit trees to mitigate the impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion.
In Vinh Long, another Mekong Delta province, the sub-department of fisheries has increased the monitoring of salinity and issued warnings for aquacultural areas where necessary.
Adaptive cultivation techniques have also been provided for farmers in some districts like Long Ho and Mang Thit, home to a large number of aquatic farms.
The sub-department has also designed orientations for local aquaculture development. Accordingly, farmers will be supported to raise more diverse species in regions susceptible to drought and saline intrusion.
Meanwhile, the People’s Committee of the south central coastal province of Phu Yen has earmarked 37 billion VND (1.65 million USD) for anti-drought and saltwater intrusion efforts, along with supplying water for 10,000 affected families this year.
It said electricity will be ensured for 135 pumping stations to serve drought prevention activities.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development predicts drought will get worse from mid-April, influencing a widespread cultivation area and affecting at least 10,000 families – compared to the 6,500 impacted households in 2015.-VNA
