The development of irrigation systems for sustainable agricultural development in Viet Nam

摘要

Viet Nam has a gross area of 330 991 km~2 with a population of about 80 million (2004), a population density of 242 people/km~2. Over 75 percent of Vietnamese people live in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for 22 percent of the gross domestic product in 2003. In recent years, Viet Nam's economic growth has been stable at the rate of 7.5 percent per year. Growth in agriculture constantly increased at a rate of 4 to 4.5 percent per year. Viet Nam is a major exporter of agricultural products (rice, coffee, rubber, pepper, cashew etc.). Agricultural development in recent years has not only contributed to national income growth, food security and poverty reduction but also has contributed to social stability and environmental protection. However, thecountry's integration into the international economic system has brought many challenges to Viet Nam's agriculture sector. To ensure sustainable agricultural development, issues of markets, pricing, competition of agricultural products and water must beaddressed. Viet Nam is located in the tropical monsoon zone and, potentially, has abundant water resources. Annual runoff is about 844 billion cubic metres, of which 323 billion cubic metres are generated inside the country, and 521 billion cubic metresare generated from outside the country. Groundwater resources have a dynamic potential of about 1 500 m~3/s. However, water distribution is uneven in both space and time. From 75 to 80 percent of annual runoff is concentrated in three to four months of the mid-rainy season and 5 to 8 percent is concentrated in three months of the mid-dry season. Therefore, water shortage, drought and water logging often happen in most of areas of the country with serious consequences for farmers. Over the previous decades, water resources development and management have been a serious concern of the state and the people of Viet Nam. Water resources development has contributed significantly to the economic and social development of Viet Nam, especially in terms of agricultural production. In the coming decades, Viet Nam's economy will undergo a high rate of growth to achieve the country's goals of industrialization and modernization, and the population growth of the country will continue to increase, with a forecast of88 to 89 million people in 2010. Therefore, the demand for water for socio-economic development in general and for sustainable agriculture in particular will seriously challenge the water sector. This must be met with success.