Saltwater intrusion up rivers is estimated to affect 29,260ha of rice sown in areas not zoned for the crop in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta as the region enters the peak dry season.
A sluice in the Rach Gam River in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is opened to irrigate rice crops when the water salinity level is low. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Saltwater intrusion up rivers isestimated to affect 29,260ha of rice sown in areas not zoned for the crop inthe Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta as the region enters the peak dry season.
The areas are in Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, and CaMau provinces, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development'sDepartment of Water Resources.
Delta farmers sowed 1.49 million hectares of rice in thewinter-spring rice crop, and have harvested 575,000ha so far.
The region, the country’s largest rice, fruit and seafoodproducer, has taken various measures to cope with saltwater intrusion and lackof water for irrigation since the beginning of the dry season to mitigate theirimpacts on agriculture and people’s lives.
The delta’s 12 provinces and Can Tho city have upgraded and builtsaltwater prevention sluices and dams, dredged irrigation canals to store morewater, and encouraged farmers to store water for irrigation and household use.
They also created rice sowing schedules in each locality andinstructed farmers to follow them to avoid the worst of the saltwaterintrusion.
The saltwater intrusion in the ongoing dry season – betweenNovember and April – is worse than normal, according to the department.
During high tides on March 7-13 and 24-28 the intrusion isexpected to worsen, it said.
Salinity of four grammes per litre is estimated to occur 50-60kmup major rivers during the high tide periods.
Most crops can only cope with a maximum of one gramme per litre.
The directorate has warned localities to strengthen monitoring ofwater resources and saltwater intrusion to adopt preventive measures.
Local authorities have warned farmers not to plant rice insaltwater-prone areas and to only begin sowing when there are rains and enoughfreshwater available.
Provinces have operated irrigation works efficiently to storewater in irrigation canals, lakes and ponds.
They have also taken measures to supply water to households andhelp them store it for daily use.
In Ca Mau province, some 12,000 households are facing a shortage,according to its Centre for Rural Clean Water and Environmental Sanitation.
Phan Hoang Vu, Director of Ca Mau province’s Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development, said relevant agencies have been instructedto quickly upgrade rural clean water supply facilities, repair and drill bore wellsfor household supply, set up free water supply sites and provide free watercontainers to households.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered relevant ministries anddelta localities to take measures to cope with saltwater intrusion and watershortages.
The local authorities, especially in Ben Tre, Tien Giang, HauGiang, Tra Vinh, and Soc Trang provinces, should proactively arrange personneland facilities to secure water for agriculture and household use, he added./.
VNA
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A sluice in the Rach Gam River in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is opened to irrigate rice crops when the water salinity level is low. (Photo: VNA)