Post-Ketsana irrigation repairs close to completion
 
Vientiane Times, 04 Feb 2010
 
The first 60 irrigation rehabilitation projects in three southern
provinces that were recently affected by tropical storm Ketsana are to
be completed this month.
 
The projects, which cost about 32.7 million kip, are now more than 90
percent finished, according to a report from the Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry last week.
 
Once the repairs are complete, the irrigation system will be able to
supply water to about 4,600 hectares of crops.
 
The project will improve the irrigation system in the provinces to
ensure there is enough water for this dry season's rice targets,
according to provincial authorities.
 
Attapeu province has now finished about 98 percent of planned repairs
on irrigation systems supplying 1,350 hectares of farmland in the
province, said provincial irrigation section acting head, Mr Phonesay
Khaysonesena.
 
Farmers in the province have now planted about 92 percent or 908
hectares of the 1,100-hectare provincial rice target, said provincial
agriculture section senior official, Mr Saifon Nammavong.
 
He said this year rice crops in the province increased by about 300
hectares from last year and the province will succeed in reaching its
target.
 
This dry season rice will help ensure that families in the province
who were affected by the storm have enough to eat in next few months,
said Mr Saifon.
 
He added that the irrigation system also supplies water for other
crops including melons, beans, tomatoes and green vegetables.
 
Saravan province has completed about 90 percent of repairs with a
budget of over 12.7 million kip. Repairs are expected to be finished
later this month.
 
The provincial authorities have encouraged farmers to plant more dry
season rice to compensate for crops that were damaged or destroyed by
the storm in September.
 
Last dry season the provincial authorities encouraged farmers to plant
9,500 hectares of rice but they planted only 7,500 hectares, according
to provincial irrigation section head, Mr Sinsay Phetphengrasy.
 
This year the province will try to encourage farmers to plant 12,000
hectares of rice. They have already planted more than 8,000 hectares
and are expected to meet the target, he said.
 
Meanwhile, the irrigation project in Xekong province is not yet
finished due to work which is currently being done on some irrigation
channels. This year the irrigation section planned to supply about
1,400 hectares of crops, of which 850 hectares would be rice.
 
The second phase of repairs, which will consist of 36 projects
covering 3,890 hectares and costing about 23.7 million kip, will be
implemented after the dry season harvest.