Multipurpose water management: [1] Field canals support diversified cropping

Bringing water to the fields

Following the administrative merger, Tay Ninh is managing one of the largest irrigation systems in southeastern Vietnam, with four major reservoirs, 10 electric pumping stations, over 1,700 irrigation canals, 365 drainage canals and 24 dikes. More than 69% of its irrigation canals have been concretized, serving nearly 150,000 ha of agricultural land every year.

The irrigation sector and local authorities in Tay Ninh are prioritizing the completion of on-farm irrigation systems, particularly secondary and tertiary canals. These facilities directly deliver water to individual fields and production areas, helping farmers take greater control of irrigation and drainage while reducing production costs.

In Chau Thanh commune, the concretization of on-farm canals is bringing noticeable changes to local agricultural production. Pham Van Trai, a resident of Chom Dua hamlet (Chau Thanh commune), has approximately 3 ha of farmland. His family is preparing to rotate to rice after the cassava harvest.

Getting water to his fields used to be a hard task because the main canal was far away. Whenever water was needed, farmers had to time their turns carefully and sometimes even stay up all night to regulate the water supply.

“At times, there was not enough water. Crops thus grew poorly, and yields fell short of expectations. This year, the government investing in a secondary canal fills me with joy because getting water into the fields is much easier,” Trai said.

Nguyen Van Son, who lives nearby, shared the same excitement as the irrigation project was combined with a road running alongside the canal. He said, “Previously, the road was badly deteriorated and became especially muddy during the rainy season, making it difficult to transport agricultural products. Now that the road has been properly upgraded, farmers are very happy because the project serves irrigation while also supporting transportation and production.”

According to Pham Van Nham, Head of Chom Dua hamlet, the 655-meter-long TN196 canal route serves 89 ha of farmland and around 50 households. After being concretized, its water delivery capacity has improved. With water brought closer to production areas, farmers not only save labor but also have greater flexibility in scheduling crops. This is particularly important for households growing multiple crops, including rice and cassava.

“However, some canals in the area have yet to receive investment, such as TN199. We recommend that relevant agencies and authorities continue to further complete the irrigation system to ensure adequate water supplies for production, improve economic efficiency and stabilize people's livelihoods,” Nham said.

Opening up aquaculture opportunities

The role of irrigation in Chau Thanh extends beyond rice, cassava and fruit trees. A reliable water supply also creates favorable conditions for farmers to develop aquaculture.

Taking advantage of irrigation water from the TN17 canal, Thieu Thi Bac began raising fish in 2006. After a period of farming red tilapia, her family switched to perch. The family now has nearly 5,000 square meters of water surface for aquaculture.

Fish are harvested after nearly five months. Each cycle, her family raises 5-7 tons of fish, generating profits of several tens of millions of Vietnamese dong when prices are good. After each cycle, the ponds are rehabilitated before being restocked. Although the market remains volatile, having a canal system that facilitates water intake and drainage remains an important condition for maintaining aquaculture.

According to Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy Head of the Chau Thanh Commune Economic Division, the locality has a strong agricultural production base, making its irrigation system one of the key infrastructure directly serving farmers' needs. The commune People's Committee therefore regularly reviews the system, proposes new investments and gradually reinforces canals to ensure adequate irrigation and drainage capacity.

“The relatively comprehensive irrigation system has helped improve crop yields while creating conditions for farmers to restructure production and develop livestock and aquaculture. Local households gain more opportunities to generate additional income and improve economic efficiency,” Deputy Head Tuan Anh said.

Chau Thanh Irrigation Enterprise currently manages eight primary canals, 16 secondary canals and 14 tertiary canals, with a combined length of roughly 43 km. Over 26 km of the network has been concretized. These figures show that the on-farm irrigation network is gradually being completed, but investment needs remain substantial.

According to Truong Dat Tan Loi, Director of the Chau Thanh Irrigation Enterprise, behind every canal are dozens or hundreds of households, as well as farmland and livelihoods that depend on the ability to regulate water supplies. Therefore, continuing to prioritize investment, particularly in deteriorating and unconcretized canals, will lay the foundation for more efficient land use and promote a shift toward diversified and sustainable farming.

Once the on-farm irrigation system is completed, water can be delivered to the right place at the right time, giving farmers a stronger basis for crop conversion, intensive farming, livestock and aquaculture development, and the reorganization of production toward greater efficiency.