PM Asks for Monitoring Water Level in Mekong River
VGP – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has tasked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Viet Nam National Mekong Committee to monitor water level in the Mekong River.
The move aims to assist the Mekong Delta in organizing agriculture production.
On March 9, Pattaya Mail reported that the Mekong River was only a little over one meter deep as it flowed through Nakhon Phanom province, posing a threat of severe drought during the dry season.
Nakhon Phanom province officials said the river level is dropping faster than in recent years due to the construction of dams and low rainfall in catchment areas.
The Mekong Delta accounts for 12% of the national area, 19% of the national population, a large network of rivers, canals and ditches.
The region is the largest agricultural production center in Viet Nam as it contributes up to 50% of national rice production, 65% of national aquaculture production and 70% of fruits of the country; 95% of national export rice and 60% of national exported fish.
However, the Mekong Delta is sensitive to the changes of nature, prompting the Government to issue Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP in 2017 on climate-resilient and sustainable development of the whole region./.
By Quang Minh
