Bounkham Sidavong (right) and Vikas Misra, signing the contract agreement in Vientiane on May 20. - VT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): he Lao government and an Indian developer have signed an agreement to develop an irrigation system to boost crop farming in Kaenthao district, Xayaboury province.
Director General of the Irrigation Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Bounkham Sidavong, and Deputy Director of Vijay Kumar Mishra Construction Pvt Ltd, Vikas Misra, signed the contract agreement in Vientiane on May 20.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Thongphat Vongmany and the Indian Ambassador to Laos Dinkar Asthana witnessed the signing ceremony.
The Construction Storage Dam and Irrigation System Development Project is one of the development activities to be financed by a loan provided by the EXIM Bank of India totalling US$30.94 million.
The project components include the construction of a small-scale storage dam in the Xang River and the building of a gravity-fed irrigation system in Khaenthao district. Water pumps powered by solar power will also be installed. A project consultant will be hired to ensure quality development of the project.
Action will be taken shortly after the signing of the contract to commence construction, which is expected to take two years to complete.
Once the project is operational, the irrigation system is expected to be able to supply water to more than 1,000 hectares of farmland and boost crop yields.
