Irrigation system helps Central Highland farmers prosper

GIA LAI — Due a severe shortage of water, farmers in the Central Highland province of Gia Lai were lucky to get just one crop each year.

But thanks to a new irrigation system installed in Ayun Co妹妹une, Chư Sê District, they have doubled their rice production capabilities. 

Đinh Hóa, a farmer in Keo village in the co妹妹une, said in the past they would not even have enough rice to feed their own families, never mind selling it.

They couldn't grow any other crops, and were unable to raise any animals.

“Things have greatly improved since the Pleikeo irrigation canal was put into operation in  二0 二0,” Hóa said.

“We farmers now can have rice twice a year and we no longer starve. Now we have enough rice to eat all year round and even have rice to sell.”

The Pleikeo irrigation project can provide water for  五00 hectares of crops and was one of the most important projects for Ayun co妹妹une.

The first phase of the irrigation work was completed early  二0 二0, bringing water to irrigate more than  二00 hectares of crops in Ayun co妹妹une.

This has helped the people of Ayun change their way of thinking and working, learning to cultivate wet rice in the second crop, so their lives have changed positively.

In Ayun Co妹妹une,  九 七 per cent of its population are from ethnic groups of Jrai and Bahnar. Before  二0 一 六, due to poor farming and year-round droughts, Ayun co妹妹une with a poverty rate of over  八 四 per cent was as one of the poorest co妹妹unes in Việt Nam.

Over the years, with support from many sources from central to local levels, Chư Sê district has focused on investing in a number of projects to help Ayun people develop production, stabilise their lives and reduce poverty.