Netherlands Water Partnership to help Binh Thuan implement climate change adaptation project

Due to effects of El Nino, rainy seasons started late and ended early in Binh Thuan with little rainfall. Drought and saltwater intrusion occured more frequently from late November to late May next year, leading to serious water shortage for production and people’s daily life. In particular, districts of Tuy Phong, Bac Binh, Ham Thuan Bac, Ham Thuan Nam, Ham Tan and La Gi town are the localities facing the worst drought and saltwater intrusion in the province. At the meeting, functional departments of Binh Thuan suggested a number of issues in need of support from the Dutch organization to implement solutions to the severe impacts of climate change.  

In addition, Binh Thuan authorities have petitioned the government, central bodies, NGOs to give financial support to the province to take conctere measures against drought, including VND 25.92 billion to ensure water supply for 90,000 people (with 0.04m³ of water for each people/day from March 25 to June 25, 2016), VND 540 million for drilling 6 waterwells; VND 99.6 billion for dredging irrigation canal networks. At the same time, Binh Thuan also urged the central government to step up the investment in key irrigation works such as: canals getting water from Song Dinh 3 resevoir to Co Kieu barrage and Nui Dat Lake. A number of long-term solutions are waiting the asisstance of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as follows: advanced and water-saving irrigating models for dragon fruit trees, the upgradation of existing old and broken resevoirs, expanding and scaling up the capacity of rural water supply networks, building resevoirs and canal systems in Bac Binh, Tuy Phong, Tanh Linh and Ham Thuan Nam districts.

Phuong Lan (Source: Binh Thuan Newspaper)