Development of irrigation systems nationwide is always prioritised in
agricultural restructuring, has said Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development Cao Duc Phat.
The minister also noted that a total
of 28.8 trillion VND (1.35 billion USD) has been funneled to build the
networks between 2011 and 2014, equivalent to 79 percent of the total
investment in the sector.
The money has been spent on
constructing multifunctional irrigation facilities, serving aquatic and
industrial production, cultivation and breeding, and providing safe
water for residents. Notably, the building of key irrigation
infrastructure and dyke systems is always associated to benefits of
aquatic farming.
The ministry has also given priority to
maintaining and upgrading small-size irrigation facilities, connecting
them with hydropower plants in mountainous areas, with the aim of
improving the efficiency of managing and using the work.
Between 2016 and 2020, it will continue to invest in expanding the
existing networks and building those dedicated to aquaculture production
activities in the Mekong Delta as well as irrigating industrial plants
in the Central Highlands and southeastern and northern midland regions.
The country has to date built 110 medium-and large-sized irrigation
systems, 6,500 reservoirs, 1,000 km of irrigation canals, helping
guarantee water supply for agricultural and industrial production
activities and residents. Last year, these facilities served 3.52
million hectares of land and 7.26 million hectares under rice
cultivation.-VNA