Faced with the increasingly complex situation of saline intrusion (SIP), Vinh Long province has recently proactively focused on implementing many response solutions to protect production and people's lives. Vinh Long Newspaper reporter interviewed Mr. Tran Nguyen Anh Tu - Deputy Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department (Department of Agriculture and Environment) on this issue.
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| Mr. Tran Nguyen Anh Tu. |
* Could you please tell us about the situation of salinity and drought in the province since the beginning of the dry season? Compared to previous years, is there anything unusual about the salinity and drought situation this year, sir?
- Actual monitoring of salinity shows that from the beginning of the dry season until now, the highest recorded salinity at Nang Am station is 6‰ (appeared on March 29), at Tich Thien station on Hau river is 2‰ (appeared on March 28), approximately the same as the dry season of 2024.
Regarding the forecast of salinity in the coming time, because the total flow through Kratie is larger than the average of many years and the same period in 2024 by about 35-40%, the flow through Can Tho and My Thuan is larger than the average of many years, contributing to reducing the impact of XNM. According to the forecast, salinity will tend to decrease gradually in April and May and by June, salinity will likely no longer have an impact.
Compared to previous years, this year there have been some unseasonal rains, with some places experiencing moderate to heavy rain. The rainfall during this period is unevenly distributed in places, higher than the average of many years. The flow through Can Tho and My Thuan is higher than the average of many years, which has contributed to reducing the impact of XNM compared to forecasts from the beginning of the dry season by forecasting agencies.
* Has the province recorded any damage caused by salinity and drought in the past, sir? Has the awareness of prevention and response to salinity and drought of localities and people in the province changed since the salinity and drought in previous years, sir?
- In recent times, the forecasting and early warning work on natural disasters in general and XNM in particular by forecasting agencies has contributed to helping the sector promptly advise the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee to issue directive documents, response solutions, and provide quick information to leaders at all levels and people. Thereby helping local authorities and people in the province proactively deploy response measures.
Thanks to the proactive response to drought and salinity, up to now, the provincial agriculture and environment sector has not recorded significant damage caused by drought and salinity. Some rice and fruit growing areas have shown signs of being slightly affected, but thanks to good communication work and timely information provision by management agencies and local authorities, people have proactively taken measures to store fresh water early, adjust crop schedules appropriately, etc., thus minimizing damage caused by drought and salinity.
In general, the awareness of people and local authorities in responding to drought and salinity has had many positive changes.
* From the forecast of the functional sector about the XNM situation, what solutions has Vinh Long province had in the past to prevent and respond, sir? With the role of reducing the impact of drought and salinity, how effective have the construction solutions been in this year's dry season, sir?
- To proactively respond to drought and salinity, recently the industry has advised the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee to promptly direct the effective implementation of a number of non-structural and structural solutions.
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| Irrigation works are effective in responding to drought and salinity. |
Through the severe drought and salinity in previous years, people have been more proactive in responding to and adapting to drought and salinity. In addition, specialized agencies and local authorities have also actively and effectively disseminated and provided technical guidance to people on storing fresh water and applying adaptation measures to proactively produce and protect crops and livestock.
Regarding construction solutions, the operation of drought and salinity response regulation works such as: coordinating and organizing the reasonable operation of Vung Liem sluice, Cai Tom sluice, Tan Dinh sluice; the sluice system in Thanh Binh-Quoi Thien islet area; the sluice system of Mang River Dike Project, the area of Vung Liem-Tra On-Tam Binh-Mang Thit districts; 4 sluices on Hau River (Rach Chiet, Muong Dieu, Rach Tra, Bang Chang); 7 completed sluices of Luc Si islet dike project have contributed to minimizing the impact of salinity.
In addition, for areas where sluice gates are being invested in but have not yet been installed to proactively regulate, localities have also proactively built temporary dams to respond to high salinity. This will help to control well, proactively produce, and minimize damage caused by salinity in the dry season of 2025.
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| Recently, Vinh Long province has proactively focused on implementing many solutions to respond to drought and salinity, protecting production and people's lives. |
* As a locality with strengths in agricultural production, what solutions will the provincial agricultural sector propose to proactively adapt to climate change? And what recommendations do you have for people in production and daily life, sir?
- To proactively adapt to climate change, it requires consensus from both the political system and the people, implementing many synchronous solutions, in which management agencies need to closely coordinate with forecasting agencies, the Provincial Hydrometeorological Station to provide early and accurate information on the hydrometeorological situation, water resources, and salinity, in order to have early preparation. Do a good job of propaganda and instructing people on solutions to cope with drought and salinity.
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| Farmers need to proactively monitor the salinity intrusion situation to protect production. |
Encourage people to change crop and livestock structures to suit drought and salinity conditions; support and replicate advanced water-saving irrigation models, develop freshwater storage systems at household, community, regional and inter-regional scales.
At the same time, continue to invest in and upgrade existing irrigation works; complete sluices in Thanh Binh-Quoi Thien islet area, project to prevent salinity and retain fresh water in Vung Liem district; invest in the project to complete the Luc Sy islet dike, the Mang Thit river dike, the Hau river dike... to proactively control the situation and impacts of drought and salinity.
* Thank you!
THAO LY (performed)
Source: https://baovinhlong.vn/tin-moi/202504/phong-van-nhieu-giai-phap-ung-pho-voi-han-man-8ea541c/
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