Agriculture
Agricultural management systems and technologies
Project to reduce chemical risks to environment launched
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with the UN Development Programme on 14 April launched the “Vietnam Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) and Sound Harmful Chemicals Management Project”. The project is expected to provide technical support for the development of new regulations and technical ...
China to release more water to alleviate SE Asia drought
China will release more water from a dam in its southwestern province of Yunnan to help alleviate a drought in parts of Southeast Asia, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, following an initial release begun last month. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed concern on 11 ...
Charoen Pokphand group stung by 'bald mountain' accusations
Embattled Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group will launch a social enterprise in Nan province to encourage farmers to grow cash crops other than maize, as a long-term solution to the problems created by deforestation, which has resulted in khao hua lone, or bald mountains. Suphachai Chearavanont, vice-chairman of ...
Kampong Thom communities facing water shortages
About 5,000 families in Kampong Thom’s Stoung district are facing water shortages as the hot El Niño climate pattern bakes Cambodia for the second consecutive year. While there is enough drinking water for the time being, some residents have to drive a considerable distance to ...
Lam Dong residents concerned after water pipeline ruptures
The authorities of Lam Dong Central Highlands Province have confirmed that the environment was not affected after a water pipeline ruptured, though local residents remain concerned about long term consequences. The pipeline that broke on 13 February is part of the Tan Rai Aluminium Plant, in Loc ...
Ho Chi Minh City starts five-year plan on organic food
The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has approved a five-year plan to promote cultivation of organic and safe vegetables. Under the programme, by 2020 organic and safe vegetable farming areas will reach more than 16,000 hectares. Production value would be more than VND800 million ...
Thai PM blames past policies for drought
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has blamed past policies that heavily promoted cash crops as a root cause of floods and drought. Commenting in the latest government’s newsletter, Gen Prayut said growing cash crops without controls leads to the destruction of forests and watershed areas, and even affects ...
Mekong diversion under way in Thailand
The Thai government’s planned diversion of billions of cubic metres of water from the Mekong River, described last week by a Thai Ministry of Water Resources representative as being as far as two years away, has already begun. The pumping, which is pulling water from the ...
Mekong pumps to ease Isan drought
Thailand’s Royal Irrigation Department has begun pumping water from the Mekong River and redirecting it to drought-afflicted regions of the Northeast. The RID has shied away from using the term “diverted”, instead saying only that it is “using” the water as it looks to bypass consultation ...
Irrigation systems running up electrical debts
Lao irrigation systems that use electrical pumps to feed water into channels to farmers’ fields owe a lot of money to Electricite du Laos, the national electricity authority, with many utilities bills remaining outstanding. Deputy Director General of the Department of Irrigation under the Ministry of ...