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Govt approves funding to power irrigation systems
The government has approved funding of 10 billion kip to help foot the electricity bill for dry season rice crops, to assist farmers struggling in the wake of last year's floods.
Each dry season, farmers nationwide have to pay about 17 billion kip for the electricity needed to power irrigation pumps, so the government's latest round of funding assistance will cover more than 50 percent of the cost, Irrigation Department Acting Director General Mr Douangxay Xinnachak told Vientiane Times on Monday.
The funding will be provided to target irrigation stations in Vientiane, Borikhamxay, Khammuan, Savannakhet, Champassak and Saravan provinces, as well as in the capital, he said.
The irrigation sector comprises around 1,240 projects, of which about 25 percent were damaged by flooding caused by tropical storms Haima and Nock-Ten, with damage estimated at about 170 billion kip.
Flooding also affected about 97,839 hectares of crops, and resulted in the loss of 566 buffaloes, 1,847 head of cattle, 1,623 pigs, 676 goats, and 121,537 poultry, worth a total of 803 billion kip, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
This dry season, the ministry plans to encourage farmers to grow crops on 135,000 hectares but irrigation systems can only supply water to 115,000 hectares, due to funding delays, Mr Douangxay said.
The government has approved 70 billion kip for irrigation system rehabilitation, to be paid in two installments, the first of which is 10 billion kip and is already being disbursed, with the second payment of 60 million kip to follow.
Mr Douangxay said the funding will ensure sufficient water to meet rice production targets, explaining that most farmers are already sowing their rice seeds and some are planting other crops.
Some farmers have used the compensation money they received to purchase new pumps and irrigation equipment.
Last year typhoons swept through Laos, causing widespread flooding and soil erosion, and killing at least 30 people and affecting more than 429,954 people in 1,790 villages of 96 districts.
Eleven provinces and Vientiane were affected by flooding, which caused extensive damage to livelihoods, private property, irrigation systems, roads and bridges, water and electricity connections, hospitals, schools and agriculture.
The government has approved funding to various sectors to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure.
vientiane times
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