Unlocking technical infrastructure for rice fields to reduce emissions

Key factors

According to the Summary Report on the implementation of the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta (MD) by 2030" (abbreviated as the Project), one of the difficulties in the implementation process is that irrigation infrastructure has not kept up with the implementation progress.

This is a fundamental and key factor to implement farming measures to reduce the release of intermediate dry irrigation worms (AWD). However, the investment capital for the irrigation system is not in accordance with the Project implementation roadmap.

Vice Chairman of Soc Trang Provincial People's Committee Vuong Quoc Nam said that the model of growing high-quality rice and reducing emissions in the province has brought positive results such as reducing input costs, increasing profits and especially reducing CO2 emissions.

By 2025, with this farming model, Soc Trang will continue to select 8 locations with over 350 hectares for piloting. Accordingly, Mr. Nam said that the decisive factor to qualify for production according to this model is the closed irrigation systems and transport infrastructure for goods transportation.

Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment (DONRE) of Kien Giang province Le Huu Toan also said that the key to reorganizing production lies in infrastructure. When organizing production, infrastructure is a necessary factor. This not only helps protect but also contributes to the development and response to climate change.

Prioritizing investment

At the Conference to review 1 year of implementing the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030" held on April 9, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Do Duc Duy also acknowledged that the construction of irrigation infrastructure to serve irrigation requirements and field management is a prerequisite to apply advanced farming measures. The difficulty is that the irrigation infrastructure has not kept up with the progress.

The key to producing water rice is water. If we do not have an irrigation system, cannot ensure water, and do not have advanced irrigation measures, we cannot have high-quality rice, emphasized the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Accordingly, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Do Duc Duy suggested that localities need to allocate funds to implement the Project's activities in 2025 and the following years. In particular, priority is given to investing in upgrading in-field irrigation systems, developing water-saving irrigation models; supporting emission reduction models from local budgets and integrated capital sources of other programs, projects and plans. At the same time, improve warehouse and logistics infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses; add these projects and tasks to the local medium-term public investment plan for 2026 - 2030.

The Head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment added that the Ministry is developing a public investment program on infrastructure development, natural disaster prevention and climate change response in the Mekong Delta. This will be a key program, focusing on the framework infrastructure system, especially the irrigation infrastructure system at the regional and inter-regional levels to help develop agriculture in general and the rice production industry of the Mekong Delta; combined with other national target programs to invest in infrastructure upgrades.

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