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| Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system. |
According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in the first two months of 2025, the Mekong Delta experienced unseasonal rains. Localities proactively operated irrigation systems to store water in the system when salinity increased, so salinity intrusion has not and will not cause damage to agricultural production, nor affect water sources for people's lives. However, by the end of March, the Mekong Delta still had some salinity intrusions. After nearly 3 years of operation, the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system in Kien Giang province has flexibly closed the sluice gates to control high tides, reduce flooding in the upstream; at the same time, it takes brackish water in rotation to serve people's production well.
Mr. Lam Van Thoi, Dong Tranh hamlet, Vinh Binh Bac commune, Vinh Thuan district, Kien Giang province said that for more than 2 years now, he has been taking brackish water into his nearly 2ha field to raise giant freshwater prawns successfully. From April to June every year, a part of Cai Lon sluice is closed, preventing high salinity water, ensuring that people can take brackish water to raise shrimp. In addition to shrimp farming, such water regulation also helps Mr. Thoi and many farmers here grow a rice crop effectively on shrimp land. Also benefiting from the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system, Mr. Dang Van Phung, Dong Yen commune, An Bien district, Kien Giang province said that for the past 2 years, he has no longer had to worry about salinity intruding into his fields, especially during the winter-spring rice crop.
"Currently, my land can safely grow two rice crops a year, unlike previous years when, whenever the rainy season ended early, I worried about salt water intruding into the fields and making the rice grains empty," said Mr. Phung.
Although this year's salinity intrusion is not expected to be as high as in 2024, it is still a year with higher salinity than the average of many years. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has directed localities to increase water intake and storage of fresh water in canals, ditches, ponds, lakes, and low-lying areas; install and operate field pumping stations to maximize water resources and reduce water loss and waste.
In the long term, the Ministry will continue to research and build irrigation works to prevent salinity, complete irrigation systems that have been put into use to effectively control salinity intrusion, such as the works to control the estuaries of Vam Co, Ham Luong and the remaining estuaries. The Ministry will also focus on upgrading and completing large irrigation systems such as Nhat Tao-Tan Tru, Bao Dinh, Go Cong, Bac Ben Tre, Nam Ben Tre, Nam Mang Thit, Quan Lo Phung Hiep, O Mon-Xa No; connect and transfer water between irrigation systems to increase the capacity to store water, transfer water within the region, transfer water between regions and proactively control and regulate water for agricultural, industrial and domestic production.
Learning from previous years, people in Phong Phu hamlet, Phong Nam commune, Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province have proactively produced an early winter-spring rice crop to avoid salinity and store fresh water for daily life and production. Mrs. Pham Thi Nhut Linh's family has stored fresh water since the end of the rainy season, so they no longer worry about the lack of fresh water during the dry season as before. Not only Mrs. Linh's family, most people in Ben Tre province proactively store fresh water for daily life and production.
| Irrigation works have closed nearly 93% of the area to prevent salinity and store fresh water for people to produce seedlings and fruit trees. |
Since 2016, the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee has launched a movement to store rainwater and fresh water during the drought and salinity season. Up to now, nearly 99% of households have sufficient conditions and tools to store rainwater and fresh water. In some localities specializing in growing fruit trees, seedlings, and ornamental flowers in Cho Lach, Chau Thanh, and Mo Cay Bac districts, people have proactively implemented many water storage models with high efficiency such as digging ponds, spreading tarps to store water, utilizing garden ditches to store water, and building temporary dams and temporary sluices to store water, etc.
In addition, people have proactively equipped themselves with salinity measuring devices, regularly checked salinity levels, and shared information via social networks to proactively prevent saltwater intrusion. Tran Huu Nghi, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Cho Lach District, said: This year, the locality has proactively developed plans to operate works and non-works to respond.
Currently, irrigation works have closed nearly 93% of the area to prevent salinity, store fresh water for people to grow seedlings and fruit trees. In addition, the agricultural sector also guides people to change crop structure, use technical solutions for water-saving production and proactively store fresh water in ponds, garden ditches, water bags... during the drought and salinity season. In addition to storing fresh water, Ben Tre province is interested in and investing in building solutions for building sluices and irrigation works to prevent salinity.
Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ben Tre province Doan Van Danh shared: Up to now, the locality has invested in and completed construction of works in the northern area of Ben Tre such as: Tan Phu sluice, Ben Ro sluice; the dyke system along Tien river, Ham Luong river; Trung Nhuan sluice, Xeo Ran sluice; Kenh Lap reservoir; temporary dam works... to help prevent salinity and store fresh water; at the same time, the southern area of Ben Tre such as: Sa Ke sluice, Tang Du sluice, Kenh Lo sluice, Tan Huong sluice, the dyke system along Ham Luong river, the dyke along Co Chien river... have coordinated to exploit and operate irrigation works flexibly and effectively, contributing to the formation of "pockets" of fresh water storage in the province.
According to nhandan.vn
Source: https://baoapbac.vn/xa-hoi/202503/ngan-man-giu-ngot-o-dong-bang-song-cuu-long-1038169/
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