Save water resource for Central Highlands
29/4/16
Central Highland - the source of many
flowing rivers to neighboring territories. It is doubtful whether it is the
reason why we always make plans of consuming enormous water for only one of the
seven regional economic areas which is landlocked country with cascade of land?
In order to take advantage of two
million - hectare – resources of fertile basalt soil at an altitude of 500-600
meters above sea level, accounting for 66% of the total basalt land area of
the country; perennial crops in the Central Highlands area account for 43%
industrial plant in the country. Coffee, key industrial crop, is accounted for
85% and the next is tea 25% - second ranking after midland and northern
mountainous areas. This does not include 20% rubber and 20% malva nuts.
Exploiting geographical strengths and
resources is one of the elements among national power. But we seem to lack
strategic preparation relating to humans.
Firstly, in terms of natural factor, the
region of climatic equatorial highland with two season is not appropriate to
build artificial reservoirs for supplying water in the dry season for the
planning of industrial plants because it breaks the cycle of water ecological
characteristics. It is a difficult problem for a region of 54,000 km2 large,
the second of the seven large economic regions. Structure here is not the only
plateau but a series of adjacent plateau, surrounded by ranges of high mountain
and the massif Truong Son Nam.
Potential hydropower accounts for 21%
of nationwide operators. Recent evaluation of the International Center for
Environmental Management (ICEM) showed that just Yali hydropower reservoirs can
save Central Highlands from the drough. Yet it is had hardly calculated to
feature irrigation in the dry season from hydropower reservoirs, providing
water for agricultural and domestic usage. Why less than 20% of the water in
the hydropower reservoirs was put into service to rescue people?
Secondly, there are only 4.4 million
people in central Highlands, the lowest of the seven economic regions but the
population structure has problems. Uncontrolled migration makes people in lowland
moving to Central Highlands. 78-80% of the population in central Highlands spends
water wastedly because of habits from the traditional rice.
Do not let chronic thirst exacerbate
inequity in access to water, in which rich people have the opportunity to enjoy
more favorable lands. Do not let lack of equitable water erode traditional
village structure and spiritual life of water saving among community and people
in Central Highlands.
All comments [ 11 ]
The country should consider the measures taken by Israel and Middle East countries to efficiently allocate limited water resources as we address climate change
Thousands of hectares of cultivation land have been damaged, and many households are facing water shortages, along with other risks related to health, nutrition and hygiene.
Vietnam should focus on forecasting possible natural disasters, given the country's lack of resources in its fight against climate change.
We should know 15 days in advance how far saltwater will encroach onto our land and which provinces will be affected so we can warn our citizens
climate change will affect the whole country, but the extent will vary from province to province.
The agricultural sector, especially poor farmers with outdated watering methods, will be at the biggest disadvantage during natural disasters.
We urgently need a water-saving policy along with the application of modern technological advances in agriculture
At present, the country needs to upgrade irrigation systems in the Mekong Delta region and the Central Highlands.
An expert in the area of water resources estimated Vietnam is able to make use of a mere 1.5 million cubic meters out of its 300 billion cubic meters of domestic water resources each year for agriculture.
Some districts in the Central Highlands are running out of water as we speak. There are no streams, no rivers, no reservoirs.
Local people are enduring pain of watching their coffee and pepper plantations slowly die
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