Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 1 issued a directive ordering measures be taken to cope with the current heat waves, drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion which have hit several localities.
Rice-shrimp farming in An Minh district, the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, is a climate change adaptation model. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime MinisterPham Minh Chinh on April 1 issued a directive ordering measures be taken tocope with the current heat waves, drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion whichhave hit several localities.
The directive noted that due to ElNino impact, so far this year, many regions nationwide have faced a low rainfall, high temperatures, prolonged heat waves, drought, watershortages, and saltwater intrusion, especially in the Mekong Delta, central,and Central Highlands regions.
It cited specialised agencies as forecastingthat average temperatures may be higher than previous years’,especially in summer. Many heat waves will occur and tend to become more severethan average. Meanwhile, the flood season is unlikely to come early in thenorthern region, and flows into large reservoirs on the Da River could be 30 -40% lower than average. Heat waves, drought, water shortages,saltwater intrusion, particularly in the central and southern regions, are also looming.
The Cai Lon - Cai Be irrigation system, invested with over 3.3 trillion VND in the first phase, has helped ensure water supply in Kien Giang province. (Photo: VNA)
Tominimise impact on economic activities and people’s life, PM Chinh demandedthe chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-runcities, ministers, and heads of relevant agencies keep a close watch on thesituation while boosting the implementation of timely and effective measuresagainst natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, especially heat waves,drought, and saltwater intrusion.
Localitieswere told to comply with instructions from the Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development, other ministries, and sectors.
In the directive, the Governmentleader also assigned tasks to relevant ministries and media agencies./.
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The Mekong Delta, known as Vietnam’s largest rice granary, is currently confronting significant challenges in terms of water security. A comprehensive management solution is needed to address this issues, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Saltwater intrusion up rivers is estimated to affect 29,260ha of rice sown in areas not zoned for the crop in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta as the region enters the peak dry season.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan on March 21 called on international partners to support the Vietnamese Government in carrying out nature-based agricultural models and projects in the Mekong Delta which has been hard hit by climate change.
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Rice-shrimp farming in An Minh district, the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, is a climate change adaptation model. (Photo: VNA) 
The Cai Lon - Cai Be irrigation system, invested with over 3.3 trillion VND in the first phase, has helped ensure water supply in Kien Giang province. (Photo: VNA) 
