Viet Nam News A single day’s trip from HCM City can take you to green and tranquil gardens in the Mekong Delta. Trade cafes and walks through the bustling city for a bus or bike ride to the islets in the lower region of Tiền River. Down the river: Cruise around Thới Sơn Islet. Thới Sơn Islet, also known as Lân (Kylin) Islet, is located in Thới Sơn Commune, Mỹ Tho City, Tiền Giang Province. The islet not only hosts abundant fruits, but has also become an ideal ecotourism site for weekend trips. Sail away: A boat trip around Thới Sơn Islet. The distance from HCM City to Mỹ Tho is around 70km. The road is fairly wide and convenient for travelling. Bus travellers they can one of the services offered by Mai Linh, Phương Trang, Thảo Châu and Thịnh Phát from the West HCM City Bus Station. Each bus ticket costs between VNĐ30,000-50,000 … [Read more...] about Get lost on garden islets of the Mekong Delta
Mekong delta fish
Mekong Delta ready for fight against climate change
As hot weather peaks this month in southern Việt Nam, authorities in the Cửu Long (Mekong Delta) region are stepping up efforts to cope with forest fires and salinisation as a response to climate change. –Photo dmhcc.gov.vn The Delta’s Kiên Giang Province alone has 86,450ha of forested land, accounting for 13.6 per cent of its total area. “As one of the vulnerable areas for forest fires in the dry season, U Minh Thượng National Park (UMTNP) in Kiên Giang Province is now our biggest concern,” said Lê Văn Trọng, a member of the management board at the park. “Fire prevention may be easier this year than in 2017 because the park has had few heavy rains in the first two months of the year. The water level is still high in small rivers and lakes in the park,” he added. Of the park’s total area of 21,000 hectares, 8,000 hectares comprise a core area which houses many rare and endangered birds. A … [Read more...] about Mekong Delta ready for fight against climate change
Mekong Delta exports off to a good start in 2018
(VEN) - The exports of many Mekong Delta provinces’ rice and seafood have grown strongly since January. In the first two months of 2018, Vietnam exported 889,000 tonnes of rice worth US$437 million, up 21 and 39.6 percent from the same time in 2017 According to the Dong Thap Province Department of Industry and Trade, as of February 2018, the province earned export revenues of US$80.53 million, up 4.73 percent from January and 39.9 percent from the same time last year. Rice and seafood were the fastest growing exports, while confectionery, grain-based product, and garment exports experienced a relatively stable growth. Specifically, February rice exports reached 9,407 tonnes (up 40.7 percent from February 2017) worth US$4.01 million (up 61.3 percent from February 2017). Rice exports grew considerably in February based on contracts signed in 2017. Meanwhile, seafood exports hit 22,576 tonnes (up 26.3 percent) worth US$60.48 million (up 36.8 percent). A Dong … [Read more...] about Mekong Delta exports off to a good start in 2018
Mekong Delta works to prevent forest fires
A swamp in the U Minh Ha National Park (Source: WWF Vietnam) HCM City (VNA) – Provinces in the Mekong Delta have stepped up efforts to prevent forest fires as the region is entering the highly risky dry season. In the southernmost province of Ca Mau, many measures have been put in place, especially to protect the 8,500ha U Minh Ha National Park. Water in the higher parts of the park have been drying out since the beginning of this month and the threat of forest fire is high, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Huynh Minh Nguyen, director of the park, said rangers have taken positions in watch towers to monitor the park around the clock. They also regularly patrol the park to prevent people from entering to collect honey, hunt or fish, activities that could cause fires. More than 5,000 families living in the park’s buffer zone and cajeput forests have been mobilised to help fight forest fires. The department has … [Read more...] about Mekong Delta works to prevent forest fires
Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region
Those lucky travellers venturing into the Mekong Delta region might have fallen under the sleepy charms of the fruit orchards which spread across the fertile land. Fruit trees grow all year round in the Mekong River Delta, and whenever you visit the land, you will be treated to the latest crop of fresh exotic seasonal fruits. Families can pick fruits and enjoy their fresh taste right from the branch Tien Giang province is one of the first stops for those interested in fruity specialties of the Mekong Delta during their journey from Ho Chi Minh City to the southernmost province of Ca Mau. Located along the north bank of Tien river, Cai Be is known as the largest fruit producer in the Mekong River Delta. Walking through the orchards in the district, visitors can pick ripe fruits right from the trees, and enjoy the succulent taste of fresh fruit. Cai Be is home to many delectable fruits rich in flavour, such as mangoes, oranges, and star apples. Also in Tien Giang province, fresh star … [Read more...] about Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region
Mekong Delta students recycle waste mud to potting soil
Potting soil made from wastewater, a project initiated by two college students, offers a comprehensive solution to protect the environment and create economic value in the Mekong Delta. Hào and Mức introduce their potting soil product during a competition for students Nguyễn Hữu Huy Hào from Cà Mau Province and Phan Hồng Mức from Bạc Liêu Province first came to the idea of potting soil when they were studying at engineering schools in Cần Thơ City. “Waste mud produced by treating wastewater contains a considerable amount of nitrogen, potassium and other nutrients essential for vegetables and trees,” said Hào. As the biggest hub of fish farming and processing of Việt Nam, the Mekong Delta is now facing saltwater intrusion, drought and pollution caused by the industry. The better control of waste mud promises to improve the environment in the region. “We questioned whether we … [Read more...] about Mekong Delta students recycle waste mud to potting soil
Flood-based livelihoods to help Mekong Delta’s water storage
The IUCN launched a project on flood-based livelihoods in support of the water storage strategy in the Mekong Delta (Photo: VNA) Dong Thap (VNA) – The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched a project on January 26 on flood-based livelihoods in support of the water storage strategy in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. The project, funded with 550,000 USD from Coca-Cola Vietnam, covers Dong Thap, Long An and An Giang provinces. It will train local farmers to adopt flood-based livelihoods. At the launching workshop in Thap Muoi district of Dong Thap, the three provinces’ departments of culture and rural development introduced flood-based livelihoods that have proved effective such as integrated rice-shrimp farming, integrated rice-duck-fish farming and rotating rice and lotus farming, which have brought profits three times higher than cultivating three rice crops per year. The project will be piloted in 450ha for three years, including … [Read more...] about Flood-based livelihoods to help Mekong Delta’s water storage
Adjustments to Mekong Delta master plan approved
Accordingly, the region will go in the direction of green and sustainable growth and adaptation to climate change, aiming to become a national hub of agricultural production, fisheries, sea-based economy and eco- and river tourism. The Mekong Delta region covers Can Tho city and 12. Can Tho city will be the region’s centre for agro-aquaculture processing and energy development. The plan also designates Can Tho, My Tho city (Tien Giang province), and Phu Quoc island (Kien Giang province) into the region’s tourism centres. Tourism products in the region also include community tourism, tours to historic-revolutionary sites and trade villages. The Mekong Delta accounts for 12 percent of the national area and 19 percent of population. It contributes 50 percent of the rice crop, 65 percent of aquaculture, 70 percent of fruit output, 95 percent of rice export and 60 percent of fish export.-VNA … [Read more...] about Adjustments to Mekong Delta master plan approved
Vietnam’s Mekong Delta residents internally migrate due to climate change: researches
Climate change is costing people their livelihoods, leading to an internal migration crisis in the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam, studies have shown.The Mekong Delta is a tremendous area of over 3.9 million hectares, famed for its fertility and contribution to domestic and global agriculture, aquaculture and economy.This region, hosting thirteen provinces, is also known as Vietnam’s Southern Plains in the local geographical terms, or mien Tay (the West) as the locals warmly call it.Due to severe climatic impact, however, its 18 million residents are economically at stake, with many internally migrating in the hope of better life.In the last 10 years, the internal migration rate in the Mekong Delta has been double that of the national average, with 1.7 million leavers and merely 700,000 new settlers. When climate hits, livelihoods sufferThe Deltas, Vulnerability & Climate Change: Migration & Adaptation (DECCMA) project, a large-scale project aimed at analyzing the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Mekong Delta residents internally migrate due to climate change: researches
Mekong dried-fish villages prepare for Tet
Dried-fish processing villages in the Mekong Delta are always busy during the Tet holiday season. (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Dried-fish processing villages in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are busy making fried fish to meet demand for the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday which falls on February 16 this year. Nguyen Van Chan, whose family has made dried fish for 20 years in Ca Mau province’s Phu Tan district, said the production is now at its peak. “My family has produced double what we made last year for the same period,” he said. His family sells dried fish for 50,000 – 100,000 VND (2.2 – 4.4 USD) a kilo depending on fish species and size. “Thanks to this traditional occupation, many families in the village have a stable and good income,” he said. Dried fish processing establishments in the village each are supplying an average of 2-3 tonnes of dried fish to the market a day. Cai Doi Vam dried fish village, … [Read more...] about Mekong dried-fish villages prepare for Tet