Proactively prevent natural disasters, serve agricultural production

Building sea dykes in Con Bung and Thanh Phu sections to prevent coastal erosion.

Irrigation infrastructure

Ben Tre is a coastal province, located in the East - Southeast of the Mekong Delta (MD), between the lower reaches of the Tien, Ba Lai, Ham Luong and Co Chien rivers. Surrounded and deposited with alluvium from four major rivers, the province has formed a terrain of three islands including An Hoa, Bao and Minh.

With the attention and support of the Government , ministries and central branches, in recent years, the province has invested in building many important irrigation and water supply projects and works, contributing to improving irrigation capacity for crops, serving aquaculture and providing domestic water for rural residents.

Currently, the province has 1,644 culverts (204 large culverts with a gate width of 1.5m or more and 1,440 smaller culverts), 2,575km of canals (1,592 canal routes), 433km of dykes (141 routes), and large-capacity reservoirs, forming an important irrigation network serving agricultural production and natural disaster prevention.

In recent times, key irrigation works in the province have not only played a role in preventing salinity and storing fresh water, but also made an important contribution to stabilizing people's lives, protecting agricultural production and responding to climate change. Key works such as Ba Lai sluice, Tan Phu sluice, Ben Ro sluice, salinity prevention dykes along Ham Luong river, Lac Dia freshwater reservoir... have shown clear effectiveness in protecting agricultural production and stabilizing people's lives. Many new works are under construction such as: Hung Phong commune dyke, Ba Tri high-tech shrimp farming sluices, or emergency resettlement infrastructure in landslide areas.

Ba Lai sluice combined with the sluice system in Giong Trom, Ba Tri and Binh Dai districts has formed a continuous water control network, effectively preserving fresh water and preventing salinity in the Northern Ben Tre sub-region. Tan Phu and Ben Ro sluices, under the Ben Tre Water Management Project (JICA3), after completion, have supported the control of water sources from Tien River and Ham Luong River into Ba Lai River, especially effective during the recent prolonged drought and salinity season.

Along with the effective projects, many new projects are being urgently implemented. Typically, the Hung Phong commune dyke (Giong Trom) combining the functions of flood prevention, salinity control and freshwater storage has now completed more than 84.3% of the volume, the culverts under the dyke and the main dyke are under construction, expected to be completed in 2025.

In Ba Tri district, the high-tech shrimp farming infrastructure investment project promises to create a breakthrough in productivity and biosafety for the local aquaculture industry.

Sustainable agricultural development

Implementing Resolution No. 07-NQ/TU dated January 29, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on building concentrated production areas, linking the development of value chains of key agricultural products in the province for the period 2020 - 2025 and orientation to 2030, the province clearly identifies the development goals of key product groups, including: coconut, fruit trees, seedlings - ornamental flowers, shrimp, cows. To date, the whole province has more than 20,000 hectares of organic coconut, 3,600 hectares of high-tech shrimp. The value of the coconut chain reaches 0.6 billion USD, the shrimp chain is nearly 1 billion USD.

The province has developed 161 agricultural cooperatives, of which 78 are participating in the value chain. The application of high technology, GAP and organic standards, and the granting of codes for growing areas and packaging facilities, etc. have been promoted. To date, the province has 62 export growing areas, with 152 codes and 6 enterprises achieving codes for packaging facilities to the US, China, and European markets, etc.

In addition, the province is actively completing the planning of a smart agricultural urban area combining clean industry and tourism in Ben Tre City and Chau Thanh District, with an area of ​​over 5,300 hectares, aiming to modernize agriculture and create a lever for comprehensive development.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Bui Van Tham, the 2023 - 2024 dry season recorded hot weather lasting up to 150 days without rain, combined with early and deep saltwater intrusion, seriously affecting domestic and production water sources. The salinity measured on the Ham Luong River at My Hoa station sometimes exceeded the threshold of 6.1% o , causing a risk of water loss for high-value fruit growing areas. In this situation, the province has early activated response plans according to the same extreme scenario as in 2019 - 2020. There are 117 salinity measurement points set up on the main rivers. The RO system and temporary saltwater dams are operated flexibly. Thanks to that, by the peak of March 2024, 21/51 water plants in the province still ensured the output salinity below 0.5% o, meeting domestic water standards. Particularly in the 2024 - 2025 dry season, up to this point, the situation of controlling water sources for daily life and production remains stable.

In addition, the province has also stepped up propaganda and advised farmers to produce on time and avoid farming outside the planning area. At the same time, measures to store fresh water at households have been strengthened. The rate of households with water storage equipment has reached more than 95%, reflecting the effectiveness of preparation work and consensus of the people.

In conjunction with Program No. 09-CTr/TU dated January 29, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on new rural construction (NTM) in Ben Tre province for the period 2020 - 2025, with a vision to 2030, the province has achieved many outstanding achievements. To date, the whole province has 118/132 communes meeting NTM standards (89.93%). Cho Lach district is preparing documents for recognition as an advanced NTM district. Mo Cay Nam district has completed and been recognized as a NTM district. Binh Dai, Thanh Phu, and Chau Thanh districts have also basically completed the criteria according to the roadmap. In particular, the "NTM Sunday" movement takes place periodically, with more than 1.4 million participants, mobilizing more than 76 billion VND, contributing to building a clean and beautiful landscape and living environment, and connecting the community.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Minh Canh said that, in parallel with construction solutions, the province is also actively implementing the project to prevent subsidence, landslides, and flooding in the Mekong Delta. Within the framework of the regional project until 2050, the province has made many recommendations on mechanisms, policies, and infrastructure investment. At the same time, the province is promoting the relocation and resettlement of residents in high-risk areas, and rearranging residents along rivers and coastal areas in the direction of sustainable livelihoods.

“From drought and salinity prevention, irrigation investment, new rural construction to agricultural value chain development, the province is gradually building a foundation for sustainable development of the agricultural sector - the pillar of the local economy. Comprehensive solutions that proactively adapt to natural disasters, increase the value of agricultural production, and improve the quality of farmers' lives have been affirming the province's right direction in the process of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas.”

(Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Minh Canh)

Article and photos: Cam Truc

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/chu-dong-phong-chong-thien-tai-phuc-vu-san-xuat-nong-nghiep-23042025-a145610.html