Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh officially inaugurated the first phase of a VND3.3 trillion (US$144.4 million) irrigation project in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on Saturday.

The inauguration of the first phase of the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system was attended by PM Chinh and leaders of relevant sectors and localities in the Mekong Delta.

Costing VND3.3 trillion, the project was built along the border of An Bien and Chau Thanh Districts in Kien Giang Province.

The system consists of the Cai Lon, Cai Be, and Xeo Ro sluices, a dyke connecting the sluices with National Highway No. 61, eight sluice gates along the An Bien - An Minh sea embankment, and an automatic monitoring system.

The most noticeable construction is the Cai Lon sluice, which is 455 meters wide and has 11 gates, each 40 meters wide.

The irrigation project is aimed at controlling the water resources to ensure stable and sustainable conditions for agricultural production across an area of 384,000 hectares in Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Ca Mau, and Bac Lieu Provinces.

Alongside the Bien Tay embankment, the project will also contribute to the response to climate change and rising sea level and natural disaster prevention, while minimizing the damage caused by drought and saltwater intrusion during the dry season.

At the ceremony, PM Chinh stated that the project represents the shift from agricultural production to agricultural economic development and urged relevant units to operate the system efficiently.

The premier called for preparations for the early implementation of the project’s second phase.

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