Each organization/unit will have a specific project.

(Baonghean) - These days in Hung Nguyen, the roads throughout the villages are adorned with banners and slogans such as: "Responding to the nationwide campaign to build irrigation systems on October 16th," "Officials and people of Hung Nguyen are determined to strive to complete the assigned targets"... The most enthusiastic is the irrigation work in the fields, with every citizen actively and enthusiastically working, creating an atmosphere of unity and increasing the effectiveness of the movement...

Mr. Phan Van Truong, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Hung Nguyen district, said: “In this campaign, Hung Nguyen has innovated its approach by assigning specific targets to each unit, organization, and association to undertake each project. At the same time, we have directed specific methods: clearing drainage canals and inland irrigation channels; organizing the repair and reinforcement of all canals to ensure smooth flow; promptly commending and rewarding units that perform well, and reminding and criticizing those that are not performing effectively.”

Residents of Hung Lam commune are clearing irrigation canals in Hamlet 1.

Thanks to innovative approaches, immediately after the launch of the nationwide irrigation campaign, all 21 communes and towns registered to undertake specific projects. Ms. Hoang Thi Trinh, from Hamlet 1, Hung Lam Commune, said: “In the past few days, the village and commune's public address systems have been broadcasting information about the nationwide irrigation campaign. Since October 11th, all the villagers have gone to the fields to participate in clearing the canals, creating a very lively atmosphere of labor.” Hung Lam's fields are deep and low-lying, so irrigation work here is of great concern to both the government and the people. Mr. Nguyen Canh Hao, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Lam commune, said: "In response to this campaign for all citizens to participate in irrigation work, the commune mobilized people to contribute 1,300 man-days, dredge 1,200 meters of irrigation canals, and excavate and fill more than 1,000 cubic meters of soil in the drainage canal... Thanks to strengthened propaganda, mobilization, and the development of specific coordination plans with hamlets and mass organizations, the movement for all citizens to participate in irrigation work has achieved certain results."

The Youth Union is the pioneering force in this campaign. Nguyen Canh Thanh, an official from the Hung Nguyen District Youth Union, said: “Youth Union members and young volunteers are undertaking the dredging of drainage ditches serving Hung Lam, Hung Xuan, and Hung Tien communes. On the first day of the campaign, 380 officials, Youth Union members, and young people representing the Youth Union in the district participated in digging and filling 786 meters of drainage ditches.”

The Hung Nguyen Irrigation Enterprise has registered to undertake the additional task of dredging the 2,400m-long irrigation canal at the Tien Thang pumping station, ensuring irrigation for over 160 hectares of rice fields in Hung Thang, Hung Tien, Hung Xuan, and Hung Lam communes. Although the canal is reinforced with concrete, it has become heavily silted during its use for agricultural irrigation. In some sections, the canal bottom is covered with over 20cm of mud and overgrown with weeds, making dredging very difficult. Mr. Nguyen Van Thuy, Director of Hung Nguyen Irrigation Enterprise, said: “In the past period, the unit has mobilized all its staff and workers to focus on maintaining and repairing machinery at pumping stations, carrying out embankment work, and dredging the main canals. To date, we have mobilized more than 1,500 man-days, excavated and filled more than 1,000 cubic meters of soil, and cleaned more than 3,000 square meters of canals. These are very practical activities to respond to the nationwide movement to participate in irrigation work, serving the winter and spring crop production.”

Thanks to assigning responsibility to each unit, organization, and association for specific projects, the nationwide movement to participate in irrigation work in Hung Nguyen has yielded high effectiveness. Mr. Tran Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen District, said: “In the past, with the support of the State and the contributions of labor, money, and construction materials from the people, Hung Nguyen has built over 90 large and small pumping stations, 372 km of canals, over 200 km of drainage canals, 57 km of dikes to prevent flooding and waterlogging in the fields, and dozens of irrigation works… Currently, Hung Nguyen District continues to mobilize all sectors of the population to actively participate in practical activities: Regularly maintaining and repairing irrigation works; focusing on dredging and clearing irrigation systems, improving fields associated with land conversion, land consolidation, and the construction of internal field transportation; repairing works in a timely manner to serve production, prevent and control flooding to protect winter crop production; and effectively implementing the National Target Program on building new rural areas…”

During the nationwide campaign for irrigation work (from November 11th to 30th), Hung Nguyen district is determined to carry out the work of raising, reinforcing, and dredging 350 km of irrigation canals, clearing 125 km of drainage canals, and reinforcing 7 km of concrete canals… with an excavation volume of approximately 800,000 m3 and 1,200,000 man-days of labor, with a total cost of approximately 20 billion VND.”

Text and photos:Hoang Vinh