On October 31, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung answered lawmakers' questions about disasters, landslides and climate adaptation. Responding to Ha Sy Huan of Thai Nguyen about Cau River projects, he said the process should be reviewed by first examining one's own responsibility before blaming others.
Emergency funding can no longer be used
Typhoons Bualoi and Matmo severely affected northern provinces in 2025, including Thai Nguyen. Three emergency Cau River projects were approved, but construction began only in early 2026. More than a year had passed by the time of the report, so the projects must use the regular medium-term public-investment mechanism. Funding authority is another obstacle: projects approved by a province must receive allocation through the Ministry of Finance. Requests for the agriculture ministry to provide the funds would not comply with the Law on Public Investment. Funding for the Cau and Cha dikes and Thac Huong dam is included in the medium-term plan.
Earlier, Huan asked the government and the two ministries to consider 2026-2030 funding. He cited Decision 1409/QĐ-BNNMT of April 21, 2026, on the Hong and Thai Binh river-basin plan through 2030 with a 2050 vision, and Notice 549/TB-VPCP of October 11, 2025. He said the project would strengthen flood control and protect central and downstream areas.
Funding covers only half of the need
Lawmakers also discussed disaster protection in the Mekong Delta and southern Vietnam. The central government allocated about VND40 trillion in 2021-2025. For 2026-2031, it allocated VND15 trillion plus about VND8.5 trillion in ODA, a cited total of VND23.5 trillion. The overall need is about VND210 trillion, while about VND105 trillion has been balanced. The funds address landslides, subsidence, flooding, drought and saltwater intrusion. "The need remains very large," Hung said. Eight Mekong Delta projects are being implemented and their investment policies have been approved.
Conditions are in place for biotechnology
Answering Nguyen Thi Lan of Hanoi about synthetic biology, Hung said the ministry was preparing decisions, guidance and an implementation program. The four areas are institutions, facilities, personnel and technology. In the past six months he commissioned two scientific tasks from Vietnam National University of Agriculture, one related to biotechnology. The ministry also commissioned scientists, institutes, universities and research centers, and will continue coordinating with authorities and research organizations.
Sources: Dân Trí
