Bạc Liêu Province regulates salt water for shrimp-raising areas and fresh water for rice production areas. — VNA/VNS Photo Chanh Đa

BẠC LIÊU — Provinces and cities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta, including Bạc Liêu Province, are being affected by droughts and saltwater intrusion, with many localities suffering extensive damage.

To minimise the damage that affects lives and production, Bạc Liêu Province has implemented solutions associated with reality and local residents’ living habits.

Dry season

In Giá Rai Town, drought and saltwater intrusion prevention is actively conducted, helping people stabilise production, harmonising benefits of the two production areas: salt water for shrimp farming and fresh water for rice production.

Nguyễn Văn Tài, who lives in Village 16A, Phong Tân Commune, produces more than 1ha of winter-spring rice.

The rice is two months old and is growing well.

Tài said that local residents had enough fresh water, because an effective irrigation system had been built with dams separating salt and fresh water.

Currently, plenty of water is in the canals, so people are not worried about fresh water shortage for rice production.

Similarly, Phạm Văn Hai, lives in Village 18, Phong Tân Commune and produces more than 3ha of winter-spring rice.

The dry season is at its peak, but he still has enough fresh water.

Local authorities and agricultural sector always check and regularly update information about salinity and drought so that people in the area can clearly understand and be proactive in their manufacture.

Lương Văn Khương, Deputy Chairman of the Phong Tân Commune People's Committee, said the commune had more than 2,900ha of rice and 1,412ha of aquaculture.

Rice production and aquaculture have not experienced any water shortages so far this year.

The commune asked residents to dredge canals to facilitate irrigation pumping, especially in the dry season.

In response to drought and saltwater intrusion for the 2023-24 crop season, the Bạc Liêu Province People's Committee proposed three scenarios with three different levels based on the issue warning levels.

The work has being conducted from early December last year to May this year.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) offers solutions such as repairing sewers and pumping stations, extending clean water pipelines and building canals with fund of over VNĐ21 billion (US$847,174).

Chairman of the Bạc Liêu Province People's Committee Phạm Văn Thiều directed the DARD to prioritise irrigation works, paying special attention to culverts.

Water regulation

In Bạc Liêu Province, water regulation for the salt water and fresh water areas are carried out efficiently through the agricultural sector’s schedule.

The schedule helps people have confidence in production, even though drought and salinity continue to be warned at high levels.

Deputy Director of the DARD Phạm Văn Mười said that in addition to regulating fresh water for rice and salt water for shrimp, the province also regulated water continuously to ensure production requirements of other provinces such as Sóc Trăng, Cà Mau and Hậu Giang.

Currently, saltwater intrusion has affected several provinces in the Mekong Delta, including Bạc Liêu.

But, thanks to the effective and flexible implementation of solutions by authorities at all levels, agricultural and aquaculture production in the area had so far guaranteed, he said.

The provincial agricultural sector will continue to closely monitor weather situation to promptly adjust production instruction to suit actual local requirements. — VNS