On February 10, the People’s Committee of Dong Thap province held an online meeting with leaders of a number of localities and related units to listen to a report proposing the project “Climate resilience and integrated transformation”. Mekong Delta-Dong Thap province” (referred to as WB11-Dong Thap province for short) with funding from the World Bank (WB).
Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Dong Thap province, Truong Hoa Chau, assessed that the WB11 project is very necessary for Dong Thap and needs to be implemented urgently to have good infrastructure to serve people’s lives and production. population and respond to climate change.
This project is in line with the plan of the Mekong Delta region, contributing to the development of an agricultural product processing center in Dong Thap in the coming time.
According to the consulting unit Project WB11-Dong Thap province belongs to the Southern Institute of Irrigation Science, this project is implemented in the districts of Hong Ngu, Lap Vo, Lai Vung, Chau Thanh and Sa Dec city.
The project aims to invest in infrastructure and support livelihoods for 5 communes on Long Khanh and Long Thuan islands of Hong Ngu district, including: Long Khanh A, Long Khanh B, Long Thuan, Phu Thuan A and Long Khanh B. Phu Thuan B, ensuring production stability and adaptation to climate change. To invest in infrastructure and support livelihoods to protect and stabilize the fruit and ornamental flower areas in the districts south of the Tien River of Dong Thap province, namely Lap Vo, Lai Vung, Chau Thanh and Sa Dec city; infrastructure development and livelihood support, development of the lotus industry in Dong Thap province.
The project consists of 3 investment components to build infrastructure to serve the sustainable development of islets on the Tien River and to protect key fruit and ornamental flower areas, and to protect lotus areas; improve management capacity, develop livelihoods and connect markets; project management.
The total cost of the project is more than 953 billion VND, of which ODA and concessional loans account for 85%, the province’s reciprocal capital (including the provincial budget and the private counterpart) is 10%, the aid capital 5% non-refundable.
[‘Việt Nam đã có nỗ lực to lớn trong cuộc chiến chống biến đổi khí hậu’]
After implementing the project, regarding 12,500ha of fruit orchards will be protected and proactively adapt to climate change, ensuring anti-flood and stabilize water sources for 356ha of ornamental flower gardens, 153ha of lotus plants will stabilize production and combine experience tourism; building sluices, combined pumping stations to actively irrigate water with 6 electric pumping stations and 18 underground culverts; upgrading more than 150km of dikes, dredging 51.5km of canals to increase the capacity of water conduction and water storage in the region; converting inefficient rice cultivation land to fruit trees, ornamental flowers and lotus is expected to be 500ha.
At the meeting, leaders of localities and related sectors basically agreed with the proposed content of the WB11 project – Dong Thap province. Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dong Thap province Nguyen Phuoc Thien asked the consulting unit to quickly complete the project proposal to soon submit it to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee for comments.
Then, consult with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as well as the relevant ministries and branches. Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien emphasized that the WB11-Dong Thap project should be completed as soon as possible to take advantage of financial support from the World Bank.
According to the Southern Institute of Irrigation Science, Long Khanh and Long Thuan islets have a large area and high population density, but infrastructure conditions (inter-hamlet roads, water supply systems…) are still difficult. towel. Long Thuan islet is an area with high risk of landslides, poor resilience to climate change, and fragmented production. Long Khanh islet is located in the middle of Tien River, but in the dry season due to poor water supply and storage conditions, there is often a shortage of water for daily life and production. Meanwhile, in the flood season, the river level rises rapidly, so the risk of flooding is high.
The production of fruit trees and ornamental flowers in the districts south of the Tien River in Dong Thap is increasingly affected by climate change and water resources. Lack of water in the dry season, sedimentation canals, obstructing irrigation and traffic in the area. Floods combined with high tides have flooded many places, affecting people’s lives and the area of fruit trees and ornamental flowers.
Nhut An (VNA/Vietnam+)
