Vietnam Agricultural development in the Mekong Delta region must adapt to climate change and be in close connection with the growth of industry and services, said Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh.

He made the statement while chairing a meeting jointly held in the Mekong Delta's Kien Giang Province on Mar. 6 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the people’s committees of 13 cities and provinces to discuss measures to promote agricultural development for the region and to cope with climate change.

PM Chinh said the Mekong Delta region holds a very important position in terms of politics, economy, society and national defence and security as well as in trade exchanges with ASEAN member countries and the Greater Mekong sub-region.

The region has many competitive advantages. It is the biggest agricultural production hub of Vietnam with the mission to ensure national food security and export, creating jobs for 65 per cent of people in the region, according to the PM. The region has initially succeeded in agricultural restructuring and improving local people’s living conditions. It has formed production models specialising in rice, fruit and seafood cultivation with the application of high technology, helping to create a huge volume of products and increase competitive advantages in the international market.

The Mekong Delta region accounts for 31.7 per cent of the agricultural sector’s GDP. It contributes up to 50 per cent of the country’s rice output, 65 per cent of aquaculture output and 70 per cent of fruit output. It also makes up 95 per cent of rice volume for export and 60 per cent of fish volume for export.

However, the Government leader noted that the development of the region still fails to meet its potential due to some limitations and challenges such as the slow transition of agricultural production mindsets and small and fragmented agricultural production. Agricultural production is not stable, still depending on weather and consumption markets while lacking tight linkages between production, processing and consumption.

Agricultural production is also affected by objective factors such as climate change and seawater rises, as well as the exploitation and use of water resources of countries upstream of the Mekong river, according to the PM.

PM Chinh asked localities to focus on developing the Mekong Delta region rapidly and sustainably towards adaptation to climate change, improving the living conditions for local people while keeping national defence and security and social order and safety.

He instructed the region to promote its spirit of self-reliance, diversify financial resources, speed up public-private partnership and mobilise all resources for development investment.

He asked relevant ministries and agencies to complete mechanisms and policies to develop the region and focus on promoting the development of strategic infrastructure; vocational training; investment in science and technology to improve productivity; and building trademarks for the region’s products.

It is also necessary to make use of trade agreements that Vietnam has signed to expand consumption markets, he said.

PM Chinh said he wished that the Mekong Delta region will develop stronger in the future, becoming a modern agricultural hub with sustainable development, high productivity and efficiency.

The Mekong Delta region covers 39,700sq.km, accounting for 12.2 per cent of the country’s total area, with a total population of over 18 million people, equivalent to 19 per cent of the country’s population.

PM inaugurates nation’s largest irrigation system

PM Chinh on Mar. 5 attended a ceremony to inaugurate the first phase of the Cai Lon - Cai Be irrigation system in Châu Thành District, Kien Giang Province.

Connecting the Cai Lon River to the Cai Be River, the project is expected to improve agriculture and aquaculture production, control salinity and fight the effects of climate change for more than 384,000ha of land in five provinces of Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang, including over 364,000ha of agricultural and aquaculture production.

It will also provide fresh water for An Minh and An Bien districts of Kien Giang Province during periods of low rainfall.

Construction of the first phase started in October 2019 with an investment of more than VND3.3 trillion (US$143.3 million). It covers 54.5ha of land in Chau Thanh District.