Vietnam invests in water control

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will spend US$ 300 million on agricultural development in 2004, with nearly three-quarters of the total allocated to water control schemes in a major effort to increase productivity and quality.

The ministry will give priority to irrigation schemes, investing up to US$ 227 million on strengthening coastal dikes and field embankments, dredging canals, and building dams to protect rice fields from flooding and storm damage. The repair of reservoirs and irrigation and drainage channels will improve the supply of water for rice and other cash crops. The ministry also called for the acceleration of major irrigation schemes now under construction, and limited the building of new projects.