A canal is dredged in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta isexpected to increase between April 28 and May 6 as the volume of water flowingsouthward from the Mekong River will decline, according to the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development’s Irrigation Department.
High tides from the sea are also expected to deeply penetrate into rivermouths, the department said.
Authorities in the delta have been told to take measures to protectagricultural production against saline intrusion.
The National Centre of Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting said that rainfall in the CentralHighlands and the southern region in May is estimated to be 10-30 percent lowerthan average.
To ensure irrigation water for the summer-autumn crop and mua crops (which growin the rainy season) as well as daily water for households, the centre has tolddepartments of agriculture and rural development in the Central Highlands,southern and central regions to monitor hydro-meteorology and saline intrusionforecasts, and inspect available water resources.
The departments should also supply irrigation water to drought-prone areaswhere the summer-autumn crop and mua crops are expected to be planted.
When available water resources cannot meet demand, localities should givepriority for water to household use, animals and high-value perennial trees,the department said.
During the dry season this year, inclement weather has caused drought andsaltwater intrusion in many areas in the country, including in the delta,affecting agricultural production and creating water shortages for thousands ofhouseholds in the delta.
The delta’s provinces and Can Tho city have implemented many measures tomitigate the impact of saltwater intrusion.
They have dredged canals and ponds, dug wells, and built temporary dams andpumping stations to supply fresh water for drought- and saltwater-affectedareas.
Authorities in the delta have encouraged farmers to strictly follow the growingschedules for the 2019 summer-autumn crop, which are sown between April andJune.
In Tra Vinh province, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development hasinstructed farmers to sow the autumn-summer rice crop in three differentperiods and complete sowing according to schedules.
Lam Quang Thao, head of the province’s Plant Protection and CultivationSub-department, said that farmers were told to use high-quality rice varietiesresistant to drought and saltwater (such as OM 5451, OM 4900, OM 7347, OM 6976and OM 4218) for the summer-autumn crop.
The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has ordered theIrrigation Work Exploitation and Management One Member Limited Company todevelop plans to supply water for the autumn-summer crop.
In Long An province, authorities have also told rice farmers in areas that mustuse rainwater and are without irrigation works to sow the autumn-summer riceonly when there is rain. - VNS/VNA
High tides from the sea are also expected to deeply penetrate into rivermouths, the department said.
Authorities in the delta have been told to take measures to protectagricultural production against saline intrusion.
The National Centre of Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting said that rainfall in the CentralHighlands and the southern region in May is estimated to be 10-30 percent lowerthan average.
To ensure irrigation water for the summer-autumn crop and mua crops (which growin the rainy season) as well as daily water for households, the centre has tolddepartments of agriculture and rural development in the Central Highlands,southern and central regions to monitor hydro-meteorology and saline intrusionforecasts, and inspect available water resources.
The departments should also supply irrigation water to drought-prone areaswhere the summer-autumn crop and mua crops are expected to be planted.
When available water resources cannot meet demand, localities should givepriority for water to household use, animals and high-value perennial trees,the department said.
During the dry season this year, inclement weather has caused drought andsaltwater intrusion in many areas in the country, including in the delta,affecting agricultural production and creating water shortages for thousands ofhouseholds in the delta.
The delta’s provinces and Can Tho city have implemented many measures tomitigate the impact of saltwater intrusion.
They have dredged canals and ponds, dug wells, and built temporary dams andpumping stations to supply fresh water for drought- and saltwater-affectedareas.
Authorities in the delta have encouraged farmers to strictly follow the growingschedules for the 2019 summer-autumn crop, which are sown between April andJune.
In Tra Vinh province, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development hasinstructed farmers to sow the autumn-summer rice crop in three differentperiods and complete sowing according to schedules.
Lam Quang Thao, head of the province’s Plant Protection and CultivationSub-department, said that farmers were told to use high-quality rice varietiesresistant to drought and saltwater (such as OM 5451, OM 4900, OM 7347, OM 6976and OM 4218) for the summer-autumn crop.
The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has ordered theIrrigation Work Exploitation and Management One Member Limited Company todevelop plans to supply water for the autumn-summer crop.
In Long An province, authorities have also told rice farmers in areas that mustuse rainwater and are without irrigation works to sow the autumn-summer riceonly when there is rain. - VNS/VNA
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