Vietnam/Intelligent irrigation in the face of growing drought

Faced with worsening drought, depleting water resources and disruptions to farming activities caused by climate change in the Centre-Sud and Central Highlands, agriculture is being forced to rethink its use of water, its most precious resource.

Agriculture still accounts for over 80% of the country's total water consumption, putting increasing pressure on water security and the sustainability of production. With prolonged droughts and chronic shortages, the sector is increasingly forced to abandon water-consuming practices in favor of efficient irrigation that is resilient to climate change.

Against this backdrop, the forum "Research and application of strategic technologies for the development of advanced, water-efficient irrigation for dryland crops in the service ofagriculture, responding to climate change and contributing to water security in the South-Central and Central Highlands" was held on Monday December 29 in Dak Lak province.

The forum brought together representatives of management bodies, scientists, companies and local authorities to examine the challenges and opportunities associated with the development of irrigation technologies.velopment of advanced irrigation technologies for high-value dryland crops such as coffee, black pepper, cashew, rubber and fruit trees.

Vu Minh Viêt, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper Nông nghiêp và Môi truong (Agriculture and Environment), emphasized the strategic importance of the South-Central and Central Highlands for national agriculture.

These regions concentrate many essential rainfed crops that contribute significantly to export earnings, but are also among the most vulnerable to climate change, with droughts and water shortages worsening. In his view, this requires a fundamental shift in thinking, from water exploitation to an approach focused on efficiency, sustainability and adaptation.

A representative of the Department of Management and Construction of Irrigation Works, part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, pointed out that that most agricultural irrigation systems are still based on traditional methods, resulting in considerable losses and wastage of water.

The adoption of modern, water-saving irrigation technologies, particularly for rain-fed crops, remains limited. This situation intensifies pressure on water resources, while directly compromising production efficiency, increasing input costs and hampering the sustainable development of the sector. In Dak Lak province, more than 84,000 hectares of dryland crops benefit from modern irrigation methods, but their widespread use remains a challenge.

Nguyên Thành Long, Director of the Provincial Sub-Department of Irrigation and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, pointed out that the investment cost of modern irrigation systems remains high, averaging 50 to 60 million dôngs (1.900 to 2,200 US dollars) per hectare.

In the face of fluctuating producer prices and unstable farmer incomes, these costs are a major brake on wider adoption. The dispersal of crops, the distance of plots from residential areas, difficulties in maintaining equipment and the limited electrical infrastructure in some regions also hamper the effective implementation of these systems.

In addition to cost issues, awareness among some farmers of the long-term benefits of modern, water-efficient irrigation remains limited. Although the government has put in place mechanisms and policies to promote small-scale, on-farm and advanced irrigation, the identification and allocation of support resources at local level continues to face obstacles, preventing these measures from achieving their full impact.

Source: lecourrier.vn/