Nghe An proposes JICA to invest in the project to upgrade the Southern irrigation system and prevent flooding in Vinh City.

On the afternoon of April 22, a delegation of experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Vietnam had a working session with the People's Committee of Nghe An province on the project to restore and upgrade the Southern Nghe An irrigation system and prevent flooding in Vinh City. Attending the meeting, on the side of Nghe An province were Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Van De - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. On the side of the Japanese JICA expert delegation, there was Mr. Kitamura Shu - Deputy Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam.

At the meeting, on behalf of the provincial leaders,Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee Hoang Nghia Hieuintroduced to the JICA expert delegation the natural features and people of Nghe An; the irrigation system situation and especially the irrigation system of Vinh City area.

Overview of the working session between leaders of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and the expert delegation of Japan's JICA organization in Vietnam. Photo: PV

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the systemSouth irrigationLocated in the Southeast of Nghe An province, including the natural area of ​​Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc districts, Vinh city and Cua Lo town with a total area of ​​82,431.1 hectares. In which, Vinh city is the economic - social center of the province and is being expanded and developed into the economic - social center of the North Central region; Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc districts are 1 of the 2 largest rice production areas of Nghe An province and Cua Lo town is a famous tourist destination of Nghe An province.

Map of proposed construction plan for the Lam River headworks. Graphic image

Currently, the Southern irrigation system has become the second largest irrigation system in Nghe An (after the Northern irrigation system) with the role of providing irrigation water for 24,400 hectares of agricultural land; creating a source of domestic water, water for aquaculture, water for industrial and tourism development, and also draining floods for 71,447 hectares of natural land, including 27,537 hectares of agricultural land in Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc districts, Cua Lo town and Vinh city.

Through this working session, the Provincial People's Committee proposed to the expert delegation ofJICAThe project to restore and upgrade the Southern irrigation system and flood prevention solutions for Vinh City with a total investment of 5,000 billion VND for both components, of which the project to restore and upgrade the Southern irrigation system is expected to have a total investment of 3,500 billion VND and the flood prevention project for Vinh City is 1,500 billion VND.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Nghia Hieu discussed with JICA experts the direction of the project to restore and upgrade the Nam Nghe An irrigation system and prevent flooding in Vinh City. Photo: PV

The objective of investing in implementing these two components is to ensure water security on the Lam River; raise the water level to ensure irrigation water supply for 42,000 hectares (stabilize irrigation water for 24,400 hectares of cultivated land); increase the drought resistance of the Nam - Hung - Nghi irrigation system and Vinh City in the dry season; Create a source of water for industrial and tourism development. Improve flood drainage capacity, limit damage caused by floods to the Nam - Hung - Nghi area and the center of Vinh City.

In which, the expected items include: Construction of headworks on Lam River; Upgrading the system of water channels combined with flood drainage; construction of a system of irrigation water pumping stations; Construction, upgrading, and repair of drainage culverts, combined with salt prevention and freshwater retention; Construction of Cam River dam; flood drainage canal systems for Vinh City.

Mr. Kitamura Shu highly appreciated the effectiveness of cooperation between Nghe An and JICA in recent times. Photo: PV

After listening to the proposal of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Kitamura Shu highly appreciated the effectiveness of cooperation between JICA and Nghe An in recent years, especially the cooperation in the project to upgrade the Northern Nghe An irrigation system.

Earlier in the morning, the working group surveyed and listened to a presentation on the need to upgrade Ben Thuy sluice. Photo: Phu Huong

Actual inspection at Nam Dan pumping station. Photo: Phu Huong

Mr. Kitamura Shu also said that he will consider the proposal to continue to have close cooperation with Nghe An in the coming time. In the immediate future, JICA will actively support Nghe An in developing a plan and conducting a pre-feasibility study for the project to restore and upgrade the Southern irrigation system, flood prevention solutions for Vinh City and a number of other issues related to building output for agricultural products...