Proactive solutions to respond to, prevent and combat saltwater intrusion in the winter rice crop

Winter-spring rice 2024 - 2025 in Truong Tho commune is in the heading stage.

According to the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Environment (DARD) of Cau Ngang district, in the 2024-2025 winter-spring rice crop, farmers planted more than 6,924 hectares, reaching 104.92% of the plan. Currently, the rice crop is in the tillering and panicle formation stages. However, the unusual saline intrusion may affect water resources and production in irrigation systems.

According to the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research, from March to April 2025, saltwater will encroach deep into river mouths, so coastal localities need to proactively respond to drought and salinity prevention and control solutions suitable to the conditions of the region. For the coastal areas of the Mekong Delta, including Tra Vinh, abnormal saltwater intrusion can affect water resources and production in irrigation systems. In the face of the above situation, in order to proactively prevent and control drought and salinity according to the direction of the Central Government and implement the direction of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has developed a plan and implemented drought, water shortage and salinity prevention and control in the dry season of 2024 - 2025.

In addition to the tasks and technical solutions for prevention and control regularly implemented in each field of irrigation, cultivation, aquaculture, livestock... to respond to drought and salinity when the Co Chien and Hau river mouths penetrate 25 - 50km deep, or when deeper than 50km, they are contaminated with salinity with a boundary of 04‰.

Faced with the above situation, in order to proactively prevent and combat drought and salinity to minimize damage to winter-spring rice, comrade Nguyen Van Nga, Chairman of Cau Ngang District People's Committee, directed the agricultural sector to coordinate with the Irrigation Enterprise and sub-region I communes to re-survey the water situation to serve the winter-spring rice crop to ensure that no damage affects this winter-spring rice crop; the Provincial Irrigation Company coordinates with localities to effectively carry out the operation and reasonable regulation of water resources, ensuring good service for the winter-spring rice area in the heading stage...

Implementing the direction of the province and the district People's Committee, to ensure the prevention of salinity and storage of fresh water to serve the production needs of the winter-spring crop 2024-2025, the summer-autumn crop 2025, as well as ensure the supply of domestic water for people, minimizing damage, the agricultural sector has proactively coordinated with functional sectors and localities to actively apply measures to prevent and combat drought and salinity to minimize damage to winter-spring rice.

Comrade Le Van Phi, Head of Cau Ngang Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: Currently, the area planted for the winter-spring rice crop is 6,924 hectares, concentrated in the communes of Kim Hoa, Hiep Hoa, Nhi Truong, Truong Tho, Thuan Hoa, Long Son, Thanh Hoa Son; the rice is in the panicle formation stage, with about 150 hectares in the tillering stage.

To proactively serve the current salinity prevention, the Chairman of the District People's Committee directed the specialized sector to coordinate with the Irrigation Enterprise to regularly monitor the salinity situation and measure the salinity on the current intra-field canals. Proactively review the main sluices to prevent local salinity; proactively store water in the level II intra-field canals to notify people to store water sources to ensure rice production; increase dredging of the level III intra-field canals that have been silted; mobilize farmers to visit the fields, proactively pump and drain...

The 2024-2025 winter-spring rice crop in Cau Ngang district is in the tillering, panicle initiation and late harvest stages in early April 2025. Therefore, according to the direction of the District People's Committee and the recommendations of the agricultural sector, in order to respond to, prevent and combat drought and salinity in accordance with the conditions of each region in the face of salinity intrusion, localities are actively mobilizing farmers to take measures to prevent and combat drought and salinity, minimizing damage to winter-spring rice and other crops and livestock in the area.

Article and photos: DINH CANH

Source: https://www.baotravinh.vn/kinh-te/chu-dong-cac-giai-phap-ung-pho-phong-chong-xam-nhap-man-vu-lua-dong-xuan-44204.html