Agri zones, urbanization to drive Mekong Delta development

Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam is set to develop several agricultural centers, specialized farming zones and urban areas, with Can Tho city serving as regional hub and key driver.

Associated schemes were outlined in a government action plan Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Saturday for the development of the delta region until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Mekong Delta comprises Can Tho, a centrally-administered city, and the 12 provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang. As one of the largest and most fertile deltas in Southeast Asia and the world, the delta is Vietnam’s biggest food, fisheries and fruit supplier.

Under the newly-issued plan, the Mekong agricultural centers would include one in Can Tho associated with the development of logistics services in Hau Giang; centers in Hau Giang and Dong Thap related to fresh water aquatic products, fruit and rice; centers in Kien Giang, Ca Mau and Soc Trang serving seafood production in coastal areas; and centers in Tien Giang and Ben Tre associated with fruit and crops.

The provincially-managed towns of My Tho, Tan An, Long Xuyen, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, and Soc Trang will host general and specialized complexes. Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang province will be developed into a center of high-quality ecological tourism at national and international levels, connected with major economic centers across the world.

As planned, focused investments will help develop the An Giang border economic zone; incentives will be issued to turn the Dong Thap border economic zone into an economic complex of industry, trade, services, tourism, urban areas, agro-forestry and fisheries and a center for economic exchange between countries in the sub-Mekong region.

The entire Mekong Delta will be given priority to develop socio-economic infrastructure, including adaption to climate change, and development of modern information technology infrastructure in association with the growth of economic corridors, promoting connection and integration of urban-industrial economic corridors from Can Tho to Long An, along the Tien and Hau rivers (major branches of the Mekong), along with coastal areas in Long An, Ca Mau and Kien Giang, and along economic border corridors from Long An to Kien Giang.

An expressway system for the entire delta is scheduled for completion by 2030, together with a system of seaports and international border gates. The expressway system will link with the national network. Besides, a Ho Chi Minh City-Can Tho railway line will be built.

In addition, a major task is to develop digital infrastructure to grow the e-government and digital economy.

The delta region is expected to secure an annual average growth rate of 6.5-7% in the 2021-2030 period. The government action plan also sets tasks for socio-cultural development and improving the living conditions of local residents.

Also on Saturday, Deputy PM Le Van Thanh signed a directive on tasks to promote the region’s sustainable agricultural and rural development, with a proactive approach to climate change.

He required the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to build a project on sustainable cultivation for one million hectares of high-quality rice to improve farmer incomes.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was asked to propose land policy changes in the direction of developing the market for farmland use rights to facilitate large-scale and competitive production of goods.