Farmers in Dak Lak Province have incurred a nearly complete crop loss after a 32-metre dyke section that remained broken for half a year burst.

A 32-metre dyke section remains broken for half a year

Eight metre-wide and three kilometre long Suoi Cut Dyke in Dak Lien Commune is a life-line road that was designed to serve agricultural production for 1,300 hectares of rice fields in Dak Lieng, Buon Tria and Buon Triet Communes. It facilitates the transportation of around 28,000 tonnes of rice per crop, providing a livelihood for 1,500 local farmers.

However, disaster struck in October 2011 when floods triggered by heavy rains raged through the area, breaking a 32-metre section of the road and allowing water from Krong Na River to flood the paddy fields.

Floods continued to plague local rice fields from March 31 to April 2. Storm No. 1 accompanied by heavy rains ravaged Dak Lak Province, with the river inundating nearly 1,300 hectares of winter-spring crops.

Tri Cong Nghia, head of Son Cuong Hamlet in Buon Triet Commune, said the commune’s paddy fields produced seven tonnes of rice per hectare but farmers had seen almost nothing after the storm struck the area.

“My family has 1.4 hectares of rice fields. We often yielded from 11-12 tonnes of rice in the previous crops but only over two tonnes this time. This has forced my seven-member family to struggle to live,” he shared.

Dinh Van Binh, a local farmer, said that they are in desperate need for help in order to overcome this difficult time as they are struggling to search for food every day.

Nguyen Dang Trong, Chairman of Buon Triet Commune, said that, “We really need food support for local residents along with repairing the dyke in order to prevent the same situation reoccurring in the time to come.”

Nguyen Van Chien, Deputy head of the district Office for Agriculture and Rural Development said that The destruction of nearly 1,300 hectares of rice fields meant a loss of 8,900 tonnes of rice worth over VND53 billion (USD2.53 million).

Despite those serious consequences, provincial authorities have yet to take any measures to support local residents.

The office had twice proposed the provincial government repair the dyke in order to ensure safety for local crops and people’s lives but they have yet to receive any reply.

The repairs were estimated at a mere VND2 billion (USD95,831).

Farmers incur serious loss after floods

A long list of people have applied for support