Northern provinces’ irrigation improvement for sustainable agriculture production

Farmers in four northern provinces can now increase the opportunities of sustainable agriculture production through the government’s irrigation improvement project under the implementation for rural infrastructure development and sustainable watershed management plan.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Thongphat Vongmany recently accompanied by his delegation, monitored the preparation and implementation of the Namseng Irrigation Project in Nan district, Luang Prabang province.
Mr Thongphat visited parts of the project in four northern provinces of Luang Prabang, Xayaboury, Xieng Khuang and Huaphan
According to the project’s implementation coordination team who reported to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry that the construction of Irrigation Projects in the nothern provinces will be expected to supply water for planting rice in both rainy and dry sessons .
The project is intended to address issues of rural infrastructure development and watershed management in the mountainous provinces of northern Laos by using an integrated land use planning approach that integrates efficient, sustainable, climate resilient watershed protection measures.
For a rural ecosystem based sustainable development, infrastructure and the watershed have to be considered simultaneously. The expected impact of the project will be to achieve sustainable and inclusive development.
The outcome of the project will be to enhance market oriented, sustainable agricultural production and natural resources management in selected watersheds.
Agriculture experts mentioned the project will also boost the government’s rice export target in this year to the world market.
Laos plans to ship 2,000 tonnes of polished rice to China in January, which is part of a trade quota agreement between the Lao and Chinese governments.
More rice will be sent to China to fulfill the total ammount by the end of 2021, according to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s report.
However, Laos’ rice production is still challenged by weather extremes such as flood and drought. Almost 600 irrigation projects were affected by heavy flooding in 2019.
The extent of the floods would have a long-term impact on food security projects as well as hinder efforts to boost agricultural production.
In particular, the storms will have a bearing on the ministry’s targets to ensure food security, and the nations greater commercial production.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update January 27, 2021)