Online conference on irrigation planning for the Red River and Mekong River basins

Delegates attending the Conference at the Bac Kan province bridge point

The conference approved two drafts of the Red - Thai Binh River Basin Irrigation Planning and the Mekong River Basin Irrigation Planning for the period 2022 - 2030, with a vision to 2050. Accordingly, the Planning aims to develop irrigation infrastructure in conjunction with infrastructure of other sectors, effectively exploit water resources, meet multi-sectoral and multi-purpose goals, ensure water security, protect the environment and ecology. The planning scheme is open and flexible to adjust according to development needs and climate change. Prioritize investment in multi-purpose projects serving high-tech, organic, circular ecological agriculture , culture and tourism.

The draft Plans also specify the contents of the Plan; land use needs to implement the Plan; list of works and projects expected to be invested; solutions to implement the Plan; and implementation organization.

Bac Kan province is one of 14 midland and mountainous provinces in the North belonging to the Red - Thai Binh river basin. The implementation of the Plan with irrigation development solutions aims to exploit, comprehensively use and sustainably develop water resources in the Red - Thai Binh river basin, prevent floods for river basins of provinces, including Bac Kan province, contribute to improving the water environment to meet the requirements of socio-economic development, ensure water security of the basin until 2030 with a vision to 2050, as a basis for developing annual, 5-year and long-term irrigation development plans in the river basin.

Commenting on the two draft plans, delegates hoped that the irrigation planning for the period 2022 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, should have a vision and shift the mindset of irrigation to providing multi-purpose services; associated with living space, cultural space, tourism; have strategic thinking, long-term vision. There were some opinions suggesting that the Planning should mention and clarify more about the operation of the irrigation system of the entire region; technical solutions to ensure that when the Planning is implemented, it will meet the requirements; adjust some contents in the Planning related to upgrading degraded irrigation works and dikes to suit the reality of the localities... Delegates suggested that the investment portfolios when implemented must be proactive and close to local, regional and inter-regional issues, must calculate synchronization, connectivity and ensure the solution of environmental problems...

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized that the Irrigation Planning for the Red - Thai Binh and Mekong River basins must ensure consistency and synchronization with the previous planning system. The planning needs to simultaneously address short-term and long-term requirements for irrigation, water supply, drainage, flood prevention, inundation, saltwater intrusion and environmental protection. The Deputy Prime Minister requested units to develop and propose criteria for irrigation to ensure the resolution of local issues. At the same time, agencies, scientists, research groups, and planning developers must absorb all comments at the Conference, continue to research, calculate, and complete the Planning with innovative thinking, identifying irrigation as a multi-purpose tool, serving sustainable development and flexibly adapting to climate change.../.

Source: https://backan.gov.vn/Pages/hoi-nghi-truc-tuyen-vequy-hoach-thuy-loi-luu-vuc-s-6b54.aspx