Mekong Delta provinces are promptly taking measures to cope with droughtand saltwater intrusion to minimise negative impacts on 700,000hectares of rice, scheduled to be grown in April and May.

The Southern Institute of Water Resources Research forecasts that fromMarch to May this year, saltwater will intrude about 40 – 50km inland,with droughts becoming more severe across the Mekong Delta region.

To deal with the problem, the provinces have prepared rice varietiesthat are resilient to climate change and tightened management ofharvesting operations.

According to the SteeringCommittee for the Southwestern region, Ben Tre province has built 13temporary dams to prevent saltwater intrusion and improve dozens ofirrigation works. For the long term, it will complete facilities for aproject making its northern saline land usable, in order to protect keyrice areas in Ba Tri and Giong Trom districts.

TienGiang has constructed 173 temporary dams and dredged 146 channels while72 irrigation works in Dong Thap and Long An have been cleaned out toensure water supply for 37,000 hectares of rice vulnerable to droughtand saltwater intrusion.

At the same time, Hau Giangand Vinh Long have improved tens of channels providing water for 38,000hectares of rice and fruit farm land.

In thesummer-autumn crop this year, the Mekong Delta region plans to cultivateapproximately 1.7 million hectares of rice from April to June. About130,000 hectares have been planted so far.-VNA