Tan Ky: Reinforcing irrigation works with irrigation fee compensation source

(Baonghean) - With the limited annual irrigation fee compensation fund, localities in Tan Ky district have applied it to repair and upgrade internal irrigation works, bringing practical benefits to agricultural production.

Although Nghia Phuc Commune is not the locality with the largest rice production area, it is considered to have the most effective internal irrigation system in the district today. This is because the locality has effectively used the annual irrigation fee compensation source. Mr. Dang Xuan Nam, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: The locality has 280 hectares of land for two rice crops and 40 hectares of land for one rice crop. The characteristic of the commune is that 100% of the production land area depends on the irrigation water source of 17 large and small dams, so regulating irrigation water for each crop requires a solid internal irrigation system to save water resources. Otherwise, the irrigation water source from the dam will be permeated, leaked, the irrigation efficiency will be low, water resources will be wasted, and the dam will lack water.

Therefore, in recent years, the irrigation fee compensation fund allocated by the District People's Committee has been invested in by the locality to repair and consolidate many intra-field canals, bringing about practical results. From 2010 to now, the locality has been granted nearly 2 billion VND from irrigation fee compensation fund. With the motto of not wasting the project and making sure that the work is done properly, on the basis of degraded and damaged irrigation works built many years ago, the locality has directed contractors to pour concrete on the entire bottom and walls of the canals, not to build as before. Each year, one project is done, so far, Nghia Phuc has consolidated 3.7 km of intra-field canals, ensuring quality, with the irrigation fee compensation fund.

The Bau Coc intra-field canal section of Nghia Phuc commune was repaired with irrigation fee compensation.

Leading us to the foot of Bau Coc dam, where there is a ditch that has just been solidified by the 2015 irrigation fee compensation source. This ditch is more than 200 m long, connecting from the dam's regulating sluice to Bau Coc field. The ditch is designed with a 40 cm wide ditch bed, the entire bottom and walls are poured with 14 cm thick concrete, every 2 m there is a beam across the ditch. Due to the large slope, the ditch bed is clear, so the irrigation water flows strongly. Mr. Dang Xuan Nam said: This ditch section was previously built with panels, after 10 years of use, the ditch was completely damaged. Now, by replacing it with direct concrete pouring, the time of use will be longer. The entire 3.7 km of intra-field ditches that have been repaired and upgraded by the State's irrigation fee compensation source in the commune are all designed and constructed like this. Thanks to the solidified internal irrigation system, it has contributed significantly to saving irrigation water regulated from the dam, increasing annual rice productivity.

However, according to Mr. Nam, if the locality conducts the survey and construction of small irrigation projects like this, it will be less costly and the volume of work will be greater. (According to State regulations, each project must have a survey and design to finalize the project, so the contractor must set aside a portion of the budget for this work). Also according to Mr. Nam, with small-budget internal irrigation projects, the locality has the ability to do it, because the locality has an agricultural service cooperative, and in the commune there are many construction teams, with full means, tools and masons.

Nghia Thai commune is a locality without a dam, but there are up to 9 pumping stations located along the Con River. Thanks to the annual irrigation fee compensation source, 280 hectares of local rice production land are pumped to provide enough water for production every year. Mr. Nguyen Trong Son, a farmer in Vien Thai hamlet, confided: My family grows more than 3 sao of rice fields, the local government operates the pump every season, providing enough irrigation water. Thanks to the State's policy, farmers here do not have to pay any irrigation fees. Mr. Phan Kim Van, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: With the locality's characteristics, 100% of the rice production land area depends on the pumping station, thanks to the annual irrigation fee compensation source, the locality proactively operates the machine, regulating water appropriately according to each stage of crop development. Therefore, it saves costs, ensures increased crop productivity, and ensures farmers' rights.

According to the report of the District Agriculture Department, from 2010 to now, Tan Ky has always been provided with capital by the State to compensate for irrigation fees to invest in construction, repair, upgrade of intra-field irrigation works and support irrigation pumping stations. Accordingly, from 2010 to 2012, each year it was granted 3.9 billion VND; in 2013 it was granted 6 billion VND; in 2014 it was granted 6.2 billion VND; in 2015 it was 6.4 billion VND. Based on the rice production land area of ​​each locality, the district allocates this capital. This capital is used by localities to repair and upgrade intra-field canals; pay for electricity and oil for water pumping stations and support the management of works. According to the survey of the District People's Committee, each year localities use the capital to compensate for irrigation fees to repair and upgrade from 4.5 to 5 km of intra-field irrigation canals. Thanks to the proper use of capital and regular supervision by the district, most of the projects repaired with this capital have promoted irrigation efficiency and saved irrigation water.

Xuan Hoang