To solve this "problem", the province has researched and proposed solutions to invest in large irrigation works on high ground instead of investing in small irrigation works at low ground, aiming to invest in multi-benefit works.
Citing the practical evidence of planting and caring for macadamia and coffee trees that Tuan Giao district (old) has successfully implemented when converting the crop structure (from rice, cassava, corn on the fields to growing macadamia and coffee), Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, an officer of the Agricultural Service Center of Dien Bien Province 3, said: After more than three years of implementation from propaganda, mobilization to actual planting, currently the communes of Tuan Giao district (old) have 8,000 hectares of macadamia trees, nearly 5,000 hectares of coffee trees, making Tuan Giao the industrial tree capital of the province. That result is concrete evidence that the local climate and soil are very suitable for coffee and macadamia.
With the success in converting the crop structure in Tuan Giao, the agricultural sector of Dien Bien province has more basis for appropriate assessment, experience, and methods to guide other communes and areas to apply. Along with that, the sector researches and proposes solutions to ensure irrigation water for crops on sloping land in clusters and areas by building large irrigation works on high ground.
Clarifying the need to invest in large-scale irrigation works on high ground for Dien Bien province's agriculture, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Xuan Canh said: Due to terrain conditions, only valleys and low hillsides in Dien Bien can be used for wet rice cultivation, but this area is not large (because it only accounts for about 3-5% of the total planned area for agricultural production in the whole province). The rest of the hillsides have high slopes suitable for industrial crops, specifically macadamia and coffee. To exploit the potential of sloping land - the special potential of Dien Bien, it is necessary to invest in the construction of large-scale irrigation works on high ground.
According to experts: Understanding "large irrigation works" means irrigation works with large irrigation area, long pipelines, wide coverage. Currently, Dien Bien province is preparing to invest in the Sai Luong reservoir project using ODA capital from the French Development Agency (AFD). Sai Luong reservoir has a capacity of 6.2 million m3; total investment of 1,389 billion VND; ensuring irrigation water for 21,000 hectares of macadamia trees and creating a source of domestic water for 35,000 households. This is a typical large-scale irrigation work in Dien Bien province that needs to be replicated in the coming time.
Regarding the efficiency of large irrigation works on high ground, Mr. Le Xuan Canh added: With 1 million m3 of water below, it can only irrigate 100 hectares of rice. The current investment rate of reservoirs in mountainous areas will be about 100-150 billion VND/1 million m3. Thus, the average investment rate for rice irrigation in mountainous areas is about 1-1.5 billion VND/ha. However, with the same capacity of 1 million m3, if built on high ground, the amount of irrigation water can be guaranteed for 10,000 hectares of macadamia, because macadamia trees need water but do not require water regularly like rice trees. Comparing with specific numbers, it is easy to see that the investment rate for macadamia irrigation projects is only 70-100 million VND/ha (equal to 1/15 of the investment rate for rice irrigation) but the efficiency is much higher.
Based on the reality and analytical data, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dien Bien has the basis to propose core solutions to continue implementing the Project on restructuring agricultural production, focusing on developing two key crops: macadamia and coffee. The main solution is to solve the irrigation water problem by investing in high-altitude reservoirs, leading water through a pipeline system to bring water up the hillsides. Therefore, in addition to the Sai Luong reservoir project being implemented, Dien Bien province has reviewed 10 suitable locations to build reservoirs with a capacity of 5-15 million m3, an altitude of 800-1,200m and an irrigation area and domestic water supply of each reservoir of 5,000-10,000 hectares; creating a source of domestic water supply for 15,000-20,000 people; investment capital for each reservoir of 500-1,000 billion VND.
Regarding resources, in addition to the local initiative, Dien Bien hopes to receive attention from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , with a mechanism to prioritize the allocation of medium-term public investment capital (in the medium-term period 2026-2030) for Dien Bien as well as mountainous provinces in the region, especially provinces with upstream protection functions to invest in large high-altitude irrigation reservoirs, helping mountainous provinces effectively exploit sloping land areas; converting crop structure from short-term crops with low economic efficiency (upland rice, corn, cassava) to long-term crops with high economic efficiency; at the same time, increasing coverage, preventing flash floods, landslides, protecting the environment, and responding to climate change.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/khai-thac-tiem-nang-san-xuat-tren-vung-dat-doc-post896540.html
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