The regional lender said in a statement that the assistance targeted 15 mountainous provinces with high poverty levels in northern Vietnam. The project will support the upgrade of 600 kilometers of rural roads, and better irrigation for 12,400 hectares of farmland.  

“This project will help farming communities boost their rice yield by 25%, and make it possible for them to respond to market demands and diversify to more profitable crops,” David Salter, rural development specialist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department, said in the statement.  

“Travel time, effort and costs will be reduced by an average of 55% while transport reliability will be increased enabling farmers strategic marketing options.”

While Vietnam’s has three million hectares of farmland equipped with irrigation facilities, one million hectares of this land is not currently being irrigated. Many irrigation schemes are in need of rehabilitation, and one-third of the country’s 50,000 kilometers of irrigation canals are not lined, resulting in significant water loss.  

“Improved irrigation and water management is critical for Vietnam’s food security, particularly in the face of rising food demands and the worsening effects of climate change,” said Salter.  

In the country’s northern mountainous areas, less than 10% of roads are paved at the moment, while distances to social services are greater than the national average. The ADB-supported project will also upgrade ten rural commune markets to bolster local commerce.