Vientiane Splashing 74 Billion Kip on Irrigation Improvements

Source: Vientiane Times

The Irrigation Division, Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department (VAFD) is spending more than 74 billion kip on four irrigation projects to expand agricultural production for this year’s rainy season and better cope with natural disasters.

Head of the Irrigation Division, Mr Saiykham Phaengkhammi said recently, that the VAFD has invested in irrigation construction projects in Vientiane’s four districts of Naxaithong, Xaythany, Pakngum, and Sikhottabong.

They include a flood mitigation project along the Nam Ngum River in Xaythany district, costing 19.57 billion kip.

Construction of Namkhem River’s weir at Thasavang village between Tha Ngon and Vernkham, costing 18.97 billion kip, is now 49 percent complete.
Work on a sluice gate and flood levy banks along the Houay Pranieng River in Pakngum district, costing 17.49 billion kip, is now 90 percent complete.

A project costing 18.14 billion kip to build a sluice gate and install a pumping station on the Nam Moon River at Nongda village, Sikhottabong district is now 76 percent complete.

Mr Saiykham added that all projects were supporting the push to expand farming production targets during the rainy season as well as mitigate floods and drought.

Last year, the Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department accepted new irrigation channels built by Dongphosy Irrigation Construction, with funding provided by the government of Vietnam.

Vietnam provided 61 billion VND for the second phase of the project, and the Lao government contributed the equivalent of more than 7 billion VND. Authorities had a target of 5,230 hectares of rice under cultivation for the rainy season, with a yield of 236,000 tonnes.

Farmers in the capital planted 5,220 hectares of rice, equal to 99.7 percent of the target area.