A navy soldier waters vegetables while the other picks old leaves on Len Đao (Lansdowne) Reef, a coral rock in Trường Sa (Spratly) Islands. VNS Photo Hồng Minh by Hồng Minh TRƯỜNG SA — As the last-born in a four-children family with two brothers and one sister in the central province of Quảng Ngãi, 21-year-old Phan Gia Cường never had to worry about cooking or planting vegetables for daily meals as he had his loving mother to do all of those chores. But the young man soon realised the importance of self-sufficiency and learned how to cultivate vegetables after joining the navy soldier troop on Đá Thị (Petley) Reef, a coral rock 322 nautical miles from Cam Ranh Peninsula, which is part of Việt Nam’s Spratly Islands. “Planting vegetables here on the reef does not only provide me and my fellows with healthy food, which are an important part of daily Vietnamese meals, but also … [Read more...] about Growing vegetables against all odds on the Spratly Islands
How do islands get fresh water
2 days or more on Phu Quoc, the pearl island – VnExpress International
Back to English Comments Travel & Life - December 14, 2018 | 10:32 pm GMT+7 Here is all you need to knowto visit this popular place in southern VietnamBest time to visitThe ideal time to travel to Phu Quoc, Vietnam's biggest island, is from November to April. This is the dry season in southern Vietnam, and the sea will be calm and the weather perfect for outdoor activities. It is the best time to unwind and relax on the beach or take a dip in the cool water. Backpackers and those who want to go on an adventure should be mindful and bring enough water and sun-protection gear since things can get really hot. From April to October is the rainy season. But it is also the peak season on Phu Quoc since it is the summer vacation. The island gets extremely crowded and all prices go up.How to get thereThe best way to travel to Phu Quoc, from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is by plane. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have daily direct flights. Phu Quoc International Airport … [Read more...] about 2 days or more on Phu Quoc, the pearl island – VnExpress International
Việt Nam’s water issues need collaboration
Viet Nam News The Mekong Delta, the rice bowl of Việt Nam, is sinking. HCM City, the country’s economic engine, is facing severe urban flooding. How can The government and people solve these problems? Việt Nam News reporter Khoa Thư talks with Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for Water Affairs of the Netherlands, on this issue. What is the reason for your visit to Việt Nam? My visit to Việt Nam is made under the framework of the 45th anniversary of the Việt Nam – Netherlands friendship. In this relationship, there is a lot of back and forth, learning, capacity building, understanding, collaboration and we cherish and celebrate it. 2015 with the Paris Agreement was the year when I personally helped strengthen Vietnamese and international efforts taking the next step in the Mekong Delta plan. The Mekong Delta is such an important area for Việt Nam and also for the world. It took two years for the international community and Việt … [Read more...] about Việt Nam’s water issues need collaboration
Water from thin air
Magic device: Associate Professor Lê Văn Lữ (left), one of the researchers, gets water from the device. Viet Nam News Hard times bring new and clever ideas. After there was little rain in the Mekong Delta, farmers found it difficult to find water after digging underground. Scientists then came up with a plan. That was to get water from the air. Khánh Dương HÀ NỘI – Coffee farmers in the southern central province of Ninh Thuận used to dig up to 40 metres underground to reach water in order to irrigate their crops during droughts. Now when the land dries up, they struggle to find water at depths of even 100m. The water shortage has devastated residents of drought-plagued localities in Việt Nam, especially the Mekong Delta region, in recent years. Their lives and livelihoods have come to a standstill. Yet from difficulty emerges wisdom. “Water is in short supply, even underground. So, where can we make water … [Read more...] about Water from thin air
Making use of the saline water all year round
VietNamNet Bridge – Friend or foe? What was once deemed the enemy of the farmer, seems to have been given a reprieve as clever growers have thought up ways to welcome saline water. Farmer Vo Thi Chanh makes shrimp feed from ground rice. - Photo laodong.vn Saline water used to be an a massive problem for farmers in Hoa Minh and Long Hoa communes, Chau Thanh District in Mekong Delta Province of Tra Vinh. Relying on rice cultivation only and surrounded by saline intrusion in every drought season, local residents stayed impoverished for years. They could do nothing but see salt water entered the field in the dry season and destroying their crop, and their livelihoods. Thirty years ago, local authorities of Hoa Minh and Long Hoa island communes stuck to rice mono-culture and tried to minimise saline level to bring fresh water to the field. Gradually they realised staying loyal to this industry would make their lives even tougher, so many started to pilot breeding shrimps … [Read more...] about Making use of the saline water all year round