Japan International Cooperation Agency mulls Phan Ri –Phan Thiet irrigation project

The meeting between the JICA and Binh Thuan Provincial People’s Committee turned around the project of Agricultural development for the Phan Ri-Phan Thiet irrigation region and some pilot projects that JICA have been conducting in Bac Binh district recently. The Phan Ri – Phan Thiet irrigation area, in its second phrase, funded by JICA within 3 years (2016 – 2019), would expand the management system and improve the water use efficiency.

According to the project management board, the project has so far piloted planting 32.5-ha-mint trees in the first pilot plant of Binh An commune, while the second pilot land covering a nearly-70-ha area of Song Binh commune is used for planting Asparagus, red pepper and aloe Vera. Nethertheless, the progress rate seems to be slower than plan due to some land-related obstacles and investment licenses of enterprises participating in pilot site No.1.

Addressing the event, Vice chairman of Binh Thuan provincial People’s committee Pham Van Nam expressed huge thanks to the JICA for the project support in Phan Ri – Phan Thiet irrigation area. Apart from the achieved results, the locality has faced a number of difficulties when carrying out the project, especially the capital investment.

According to Mr. Nam, Binh Thuan plans to build 9 channels to irrigate about 635 ha with a total cost of VND 13.5 billion in 2017. He expected the JICA in Vietnam would keen on supporting the locality for the project implementation. The People’s committee of Binh Thuan pledges to follow the committed articles and allocate the counterpart fund to conduct the project properly.

My Thien (Source: Binh Thuan Online)