Improving capacity in management and operation of irrigation systems

The irrigation system is not only a production infrastructure but also closely linked to the livelihoods of many households, requiring the management unit to promote its core role in managing and exploiting the irrigation system, contributing to ensuring stable production, preventing and combating natural disasters and promoting agricultural development in a modern direction, effectively managing, safely and sustainably facing the challenges of climate change.

The irrigation system is not only a production infrastructure but also closely linked to the livelihoods of many households, requiring the management unit to promote its core role in managing and exploiting the irrigation system, contributing to ensuring stable production, preventing and combating natural disasters and promoting agricultural development in a modern direction, effectively managing, safely and sustainably facing the challenges of climate change.

Lang The dam in Nhi Long commune contributes to ensuring irrigation water for production. Photo: BA THI

Practical benefits for people

Since 2020, Tra Vinh Irrigation Works Management and Exploitation Company Limited (Company) has been assigned to manage the system of level I and II irrigation works, culverts, main canals, level I canals, inter-commune dykes and pumping stations.

Mr. To Ngoc Binh - Chairman of the Company said: Currently, the Company is managing the Nam Mang Thit sub-project, 14 large inland irrigation systems and many coastal aquaculture projects. The infrastructure scale is assigned with 102km of river dykes, 204km of embankments, 15km of protective embankments, 189 culverts, more than 1,100 canals with nearly 2,700km; 17 electric pumping stations and 13 automatic water measuring stations.

Thanks to strict management, the system basically meets the requirements of preventing salinity, combating drought, controlling high tides and supplying water to more than 85% of the province's agricultural production area. The company has applied technical advances in storage, monitoring, and operation, improving initiative and efficiency.

Not only ensuring production, irrigation works in the area have directly brought practical benefits to the people. In Chau Thanh commune, Tam Phuong sluice system is one of the typical works, contributing to ensuring a stable source of irrigation water, preventing salinity, keeping fresh water, serving production all year round.

Mr. Thach Ri's family (Thanh Tri B hamlet) is cultivating 2.2 hectares of rice. Thanks to the water source of Tam Phuong sluice, his family's crop always has a yield of 6-7 tons/ha, with an average profit of 25-27 million VND/ha, allowing the family to improve their living conditions and feel secure in production.

In the same locality, Mrs. Thach Thi Hai's family, with an area of ​​1.2 hectares of rice, thanks to a guaranteed source of water for production, her family's rice fields continuously have good harvests, no longer worrying about water shortages or saline water like before.

However, the Company still faces difficulties, the invested construction system has long been degraded, sedimented, eroded but the maintenance budget has not met the demand. The documents for handing over and clearing the land from the investors are still missing, causing problems in management.

The Company is currently temporarily managing about 23 million square meters of public land, of which nearly 864,000 square meters outside the project area have not been used effectively. Some localities have not paid due attention, and internal field management is not strict; water hyacinth and obstacles that obstruct the flow still occur. The mechanism for ordering public services still lacks a specific process, making it difficult to sign, accept, and liquidate contracts.

To ensure the sustainable operation of the irrigation system, the Company proposes to soon issue a decree to replace Decree No. 96/2018/ND-CP, dated June 30, 2018 of the Government on irrigation service prices and support for the use of public services.

Guide to complete procedures for managing construction land, handing over land area outside the construction scope to local management; develop economic-technical norms and procedures for ordering public services to be applied uniformly throughout the province.

Soon replace Decision No. 3/2019/QD-UBND of the province on decentralization of management and protection of irrigation works, in accordance with the current Law on Irrigation. Investors hand over complete documents on site clearance and compensation for works. Give policies on proper handling of scrap and damaged assets.
regulations.

Implementing many important projects

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Huy - Deputy Director of the Provincial Agricultural Project Management Board, recently, the board has been the investor in implementing many projects in the Ben Tre area (old).

Projects under construction include: Emergency resettlement project for landslides on Ben Tre river banks; Project for saltwater intrusion prevention along Ham Luong river (from Son Doc 2 sluice to Cai Mit sluice); Project for investment in construction of essential infrastructure to stabilize the lives of residents in Ward 8 and Phu Hung commune, Ben Tre city (phase 2); Project for construction of dike line to prevent flooding, control saltwater intrusion, store fresh water combined with traffic roads in Phuoc Long commune; Project for construction of Lac Dia freshwater reservoir, Tan Xuan commune; Project for completion of irrigation system in North and South Ben Tre; Project for investment in technical infrastructure of high-tech shrimp farming area in Binh Dai district (old).

Tam Phuong culvert is being upgraded with river dikes to cope with natural disasters. Photo: MY NHAN

The projects that have been and are being implemented, when completed and put into operation, will promote investment efficiency, build irrigation infrastructure, and vital traffic necessary to develop agricultural production in a safe and sustainable direction, respond to climate change, rising sea levels, control salinity, and store fresh water for fruit growing areas, ornamental flowers, and aquaculture.

During the working session with Tra Vinh and Ben Tre Irrigation Works Management and Exploitation Company Limited, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Chau Van Hoa affirmed: The irrigation system is not only a production infrastructure but also closely linked to the livelihoods of many households, requiring effective, safe and sustainable management.

Faced with the challenges of climate change, the Company needs to continue to improve its management capacity, closely coordinate with local authorities in developing and implementing crop calendars, and limit the situation of farmers planting seeds spontaneously; strengthen ideological work, consolidate the apparatus, assign responsible staff to closely follow the locality, and promptly handle arising issues during the operation of canals, sluices, and pumping stations.

In addition, the agricultural sector closely forecasts the situation, develops plans to prevent and avoid natural disasters according to the motto "4 on-site, 3 ready"; speeds up the progress of the remaining irrigation works serving production. The Department of Finance promptly guides the procedures for liquidating damaged assets, creating conditions for the Company to focus on new investments. Relevant departments and sectors strengthen coordination, support, ensure the synchronous operation of the irrigation system, promote investment efficiency.

BEAUTY - TRAN QUOC

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202509/nang-cao-nang-luc-quan-ly-van-hanh-he-thong-thuy-loi-3940331/