Many solutions have been implemented to eradicate water hyacinth in Thua Thien Hue , but none have been completely successful.

Traveling through the rivers, streams, and canals of Hue City and its districts and towns, we can easily see the presence of water hyacinth. Many sections of rivers passing through Hue City, Huong Thuy and Huong Tra towns, and Phu Loc and Phu Vang districts are completely covered by water hyacinth. While the water hyacinth's dense coverage makes irrigation difficult for agriculture , farmers also face other dangers. In densely covered areas, it provides a habitat for rats that destroy crops. During harvest season, farmers must constantly monitor and exterminate these destructive rats in their fields. In lagoon areas and rivers that crisscross the localities, water hyacinth hinders water navigation and negatively impacts the exploitation of aquatic resources.

Speaking of water hyacinths, Ms. Phan Thi Buoi, a resident of Phu Da town, Phu Vang district, shared that during the late spring and early summer months, the Dai Giang River in Phu Vang district is usually covered with dense water hyacinths. There were times when the water hyacinths were scarce, and she and her husband would go out in their boat to catch shrimp and fish, earning a living to support their family. But when the river was covered with water hyacinths, they were unemployed.

Faced with the reality of water hyacinth "encircling" many areas for most of the year, the head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection once said: "Clogged waterways and environmental pollution are two easily noticeable consequences of the proliferation of water hyacinth. Although there has not been an accurate assessment of the impact of water hyacinth on agricultural production, most localities in the province are affected."

Eradicating water hyacinth is a problem we've seen the province and districts and towns pay attention to for many years. One of the clearest solutions to "eradicate" this type of aquatic plant is for localities to collect and dry it along roadsides with the participation of the entire community, linked to "Green Sunday." In addition, the province also provides partial funding to localities to rent equipment for the collection process…

And the problem of dealing with water hyacinths seems far from over. Local authorities have launched numerous campaigns to eradicate them, but as soon as they are removed, they grow back, and then they have to be removed again, while human resources are limited…

Recently, on January 22nd, at a conference on urban order, environmental protection, and traffic safety in 2024 organized by the Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Dang Phuoc Binh, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that dealing with water hyacinth in the locality is currently a difficult problem. The province has provided financial support to localities to address the water hyacinth problem on rivers and canals; relevant departments and units have implemented various solutions and supported the development and application of projects using water hyacinth as organic fertilizer for clean agriculture… Many localities have applied these solutions effectively, but it seems that the eradication of water hyacinth is still not thorough.

Many opinions at the conference suggested that the current efforts to eradicate water hyacinth are merely a general call to action, with local authorities shifting responsibility between different areas because the hyacinth drifts along rivers and canals with the current. Perhaps the province and the districts, towns, and Hue City should assign responsibility to each locality based on reports and evaluations of implementation results… The specific tasks of each locality, including assigning or hiring specialized units with a clear "pay-for-service" approach, should be clearly defined. Only then will the eradication of water hyacinth be more thorough.

Text and photos: SONG MINH