📋 Tender Overview
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requires localities in the Mekong Delta, South Central, and Southeast to proactively store water, regulate irrigation, and respond to saltwater intrusion, drought, and forest fires. Download Special attention should be paid to increased salinity intrusion at Vam Co and Cai Lon estuaries during the periods from March 1 - March 6, March 19 - March 23, March 30 - April 4 and April 18 - April 21. Illustrative photo Implementing Official Dispatch No. 15/CD-TTg dated February 20, 2026 of the Prime Minister on proactively responding to saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta and drought and forest fires in the South Central and Southeast regions, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has issued a document requesting localities to urgently and synchronously deploy solutions to store water, regulate irrigation, and ensure water sources for production and peoples livelihood. Specifically, in the Delta. Mekong River, the Ministry requires provinces and cities to flexibly operate irrigation systems, taking advantage of water when water source conditions allow to increase water storage in canals, canals, reservoirs, and scattered ponds. The goal is to ensure enough fresh water sources for daily life and production during the period of increased saltwater intrusion and throughout the remaining dry season. Localities need to pay special attention to increased saltwater intrusion at Vam Co and Cai Lon river mouths during the periods from March 1 - March 6, March 19 - March 23, March 30 - April 4 and April 18 - April 21. After salinity peaks, the possibility of fresh water appearing more frequently, especially at low tide, creates favorable conditions for irrigation works to increase irrigation water collection, water storage and cleaning of fields. For the production of the 2026 Summer-Autumn crop, the Ministry notes that in areas that have not yet ensured a stable source of fresh water, they need to wait until the rainy season to organize sowing, avoiding the risk of water shortage mid-season. In the Southeast and the South Central Highlands, the Ministry recommends that the Localities review and specifically zone crop areas at risk of drought and water shortage; Guide people on appropriate response solutions, especially in areas outside the irrigation service area of irrigation works. Solutions need to focus on distributed water storage, economical and effective use of existing water sources. In case of serious risk of water shortage, maintain irrigation at a minimum level to ensure that plants do not die, and at the same time apply measures to keep moisture and limit evaporation using locally available materials. Localities also need to coordinate closely with owners of hydroelectric reservoirs and relevant agencies to develop specific water regulation plans for downstream areas, ensuring water saving, consistent with the water intake capacity of irrigation systems serving agricultural production. For coastal areas In the South Central Coast, localities continue to implement solutions to ensure enough water for production in the Winter-Spring crop of 2025-2026, while at the same time saving maximum water resources stored in reservoirs to serve the Summer-Autumn crop of 2026. Accurate inventory and assessment of the amount of water remaining after the end of the Winter-Spring crop is a mandatory requirement, as a basis for balanced calculation and determination of Summer-Autumn production area in accordance with water source capacity. The Ministry emphasized that only organizing production occurs when the water source from irrigation works ensures sufficient supply for the whole crop, avoiding the situation of expanding the area but not having enough water for irrigation, causing damage to people. At the same time, South Central coastal localities need to proactively coordinate with hydroelectric reservoir owners to develop a detailed water regulation plan for the 2026 Summer-Autumn crop, ensuring harmony between electricity generation and water demand for agriculture. In addition to immediate solutions, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment recommends that localities in the Mekong Delta, South Central and Southeast continue to prioritize investment resources in new construction, repair and upgrading of irrigation systems, especially irrigation systems. centralized domestic water supply projects, salinity prevention and water storage projects in areas with frequent water source difficulties. Accelerating the construction progress of projects will contribute to improving the capacity to exploit, regulate and effectively use water resources. Localities need to increase the provision of timely information on the situation of water resources, drought, saltwater intrusion, risk of forest fires and lack of domestic water through appropriate communication methods, helping people and local authorities proactively respond, raising awareness of using water economically and effectively. According to the assessment of a specialized agency under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment In 2026, the risk of drought, forest fires, and water shortages may occur locally in the South Central and Southeast regions; Salinity intrusion in the Mekong Delta is likely to increase abnormally due to the combined impact of weather conditions and water exploitation activities in the upstream of the Mekong River. Peak periods requiring special attention include: March - May 2026 in the Mekong Delta (coinciding with high tide periods), March - April 2026 in the South Central Highlands and Southeast, and July - August 2026 in the South Central coastal region Ministry. Being proactive early, from afar, with specific plans for each region is considered a key factor in minimizing damage caused by drought, saltwater intrusion and forest fires this year.Do HuongSee moreResponding to saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta and drought and forest fires in the South Central and S
