Many solutions to prevent and combat drought and salinity in the 2023 period

Dredging canals in Cau Ke district.

Comrade Pham Van Kha, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of Cau Ke district, said that in order to cope with the situation of drought, salinity intrusion and lack of fresh water in the dry season of 2023, from the beginning of the year, the locality has reviewed and arranged a total budget of over 4.8 billion VND to dredge 33 silted intra-field canals, with a total length of over 32km. At the same time, regularly monitor the salinity in rivers and key sluices to operate the opening and closing of sluices to prevent salinity and store fresh water, and promptly inform people to proactively store water.

Along with that, the district's agricultural sector also mobilized people to dredge garden ditches, clear the flow on canals; encouraged people to change the structure of crops and livestock to suit local climate and soil conditions; applied drip irrigation methods to maximize savings of fresh water resources.

Mr. Thach Minh's family in Hoa Tan commune, Cau Ke district was encouraged by the agricultural sector to convert ineffective rice-growing land to growing soursop and papaya because the locality often lacks irrigation water.

Mr. Minh said that in the dry season a few years ago, many canals here were almost dry, with only occasional water. However, this year, the Bong Bot sluice in the area was closed whenever the salinity increased, and the intra-field canals in the area were dredged and cleared to store fresh water, so the water source was always guaranteed. His family also regularly dredged the garden ditches to store fresh water, so there was always enough water to irrigate the garden, and the fruit trees grew very well.

To prevent and combat drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion in the province, in the 2023-2025 period, the province will synchronously implement many solutions; in which, focusing on preventing saltwater intrusion, storing fresh water to serve the production and daily life needs of the people, minimizing damage caused by drought and saltwater intrusion.

Specifically, review, maintain and repair damaged and degraded irrigation works; carry out dredging of water intake sluice gates, canal systems, build dams to prevent salinity, make the most of water resources; speed up the construction progress of irrigation works, promptly prevent salinity, store fresh water to serve production and people's lives in the dry season every year. For irrigation systems that have been invested in a closed system, localities store fresh water before the end of the rainy season every year. For systems that have not been invested in a closed system, mobilize people to build embankments of each sub-region, build temporary dams to prevent salinity and store fresh water. At the same time, develop a plan to operate, regulate, regulate, supply and distribute water reasonably, ensuring enough water for people's daily life and production needs in the dry season.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinates with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, People's Committees of districts, towns, cities and related units to closely monitor developments and situations of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion to promptly inform, forecast, and warn relevant agencies, units and people to proactively prevent, avoid, and respond.

In case of severe drought, water shortage, and saline intrusion, priority should be given to water sources for people's daily life, livestock farming, and irrigation of high-value crops, especially to ensure that no household lacks water for daily life . Localities should arrange production seasons suitable for each crop and livestock; manage and inspect the quality of crop and livestock varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural materials for agricultural production; at the same time, monitor the production situation, effectively and promptly implement measures to prevent and control diseases on crops and livestock to ensure productivity and quality of agricultural products.

In particular, the agricultural sector has stepped up propaganda, training, and guidance for farmers on measures to prevent and respond to drought, water shortage, and salinity intrusion. For the field of cultivation, review and adjust the crop structure and production schedule appropriately, avoiding the time of severe drought and salinity intrusion coinciding with the sensitive growth period of crops, especially the annual winter-spring rice crop. People are advised to plant seeds according to the crop schedule, suitable to the water supply capacity of each region, use varieties adapted to drought and salinity conditions; apply scientific and technical advances in cultivation and care of crops in conditions of lack of fresh water, automatic irrigation, drip irrigation, mist spraying, alternating wet and dry irrigation... to save water.

The province also recommends that households do not produce spontaneously, without planning, or against the seasonal calendar in areas at risk of water shortage. For crops, only plant in traditional farming areas and have proactive water sources. For fruit trees and perennial trees, people should balance the necessary water sources during the period of saltwater intrusion to proactively store fresh water for irrigation.

In the livestock sector, the agricultural sector guides people to stockpile food and water for livestock; measures to disinfect and sterilize barns, prevent diseases that often occur in livestock and poultry during the dry season; regularly check, control, and handle outbreaks to intervene promptly, prevent and avoid the spread and outbreak of diseases.

In the field of aquaculture, the specialized sector monitors changes in weather and water environment (temperature, salinity, pH, etc.) to guide and advise people on appropriate aquaculture types and farming seasons.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Construction direct water supply agencies and units to develop water supply plans to ensure water sources meet people's daily needs during the dry season, focusing on solutions to inspect, maintain, repair and upgrade water supply systems of factories and water supply stations; prepare adequate spare materials to promptly repair damage to pipelines, ensuring continuous operation to serve people's daily needs.

In addition, relevant units speed up the construction progress of new investment projects and upgrade and expand centralized domestic water supply stations, expand water supply pipelines, ensure domestic water supply for people when drought and salinity intrusion occur, especially in areas where it is severe such as: Cang Long district, Chau Thanh district, Cau Ngang district, Cau Ke district, Tra Cu district and Duyen Hai district. Tra Vinh Hydrometeorological Station measures salinity; promptly forecasts, warns, and provides information on developments of salinity intrusion to sectors, localities and people to know, proactively prevent, combat and respond to drought and salinity intrusion.

Tra Vinh Province Irrigation Works Management and Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company has a plan to measure and check the salinity at the main sluice works, to have a plan to operate the works, regulate irrigation water in accordance with reality, and store water in the fields when the salinity is at the allowable level. The Center for Clean Water and Rural Environmental Sanitation coordinates with related units to monitor salinity to have a plan to collect and store water for people's daily life.

Article and photos: THANH HOA

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