HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Authorities and farmers in the Central Highlands region are takingmeasures to cope with severe drought to reduce damages to crops.

The region, which includes Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dongprovinces, has had low rainfall this year and is facing a shortage ofirrigation water in many areas.

In Dak Lak Province, more than 1,000ha of crops, mostly rice and vegetables,have been damaged by the lack of rainfall, according to the province’sDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Bui Van Ni, who grows 4,000 sq.m of winter – spring rice in Krong BongDistrict’s Ea Trul Commune in Dak Lak, said the commune’s key crop is rice.

The commune did not have rain for several months and irrigation works wereusing up water sources, he said.

“If there is no rain next month, farmers will lose all their rice harvest,” hesaid.

Dak Lak has 782 irrigation works, the highest number compared to other CentralHighlands provinces, but the water levels of many irrigation works aredeclining rapidly.

In March and May, drought is expected to occur on a large scale in Dak Lak,while many irrigation works will dry up. Public pump stations will have nowater, and some areas will have no groundwater for exploitation, according tothe province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In Kon Tum province, more than 168ha of crops have been affected by drought. Ifthe drought lasts for a long period, more than 1,180ha of crops in Kon Tum willbe affected, according to the province’s People’s Committee. 

In Lam Dong province, thousands of hectares of coffee lack sufficient water asthe province has faced prolonged heat since last December.

The Central Highlands region, which is the country’s largest coffee producer,will have 25,000 - 30,000ha of crops facing water shortage in the 2019 -20 dryseason, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Authorities in the Central Highlands provinces are tightening measures tosupply irrigation and are encouraging farmers to use efficient irrigationsystems.

The Central Highlands provinces have prepared pumps and other facilities topump water for drought-prone areas.

The Kon Tum People’s Committee has instructed localities and the province’sIrrigation Works Management Board to regularly inspect irrigation dams, dredgeirrigation canals, and repair and upgrade irrigation works to increase watersupply for agricultural production.

Farmers will be informed about the schedule for regulating water fromirrigation works. Irrigation water for crops will be supplied alternately, saidthe Kon Tum People’s Committee.

In Dak Nong province, the provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment is regulating water from irrigation works to drought-affected areasto save crops.

Le Quang Dan, deputy director of the Dak Nong Department of Agriculture andRural Development, said the province is speeding up the construction ofirrigation works financed by official development assistance (ODA) and otherfunds.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has instructed the CentralHighlands provinces to reduce the rice farming area in the next summer – autumncrop in drought-prone areas.

The ministry told the provinces in drought – prone areas to plant only two ricecrops and one other crop a year, or switch completely to other crops.

The Central Highlands provinces have also been asked to grow rice varietieswith a short maturity period of between 90 – 95 days./.