Circular No. 30/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated June 11, 2013 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development guiding the formulation of plans to use the top soil and offset the area of wet-rice farm land used for another purpose

PLANS TO IMPROVE POOR-QUALITY RICE FARM LAND

This content is prescribed at the Circular No. 30/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated June 11, 2013 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development guiding the formulation of plans to use the top soil and offset the area of wet-rice farm land used for another purpose.

Accordingly, methods to offset the area of wet-rice farm land used for another purpose include reclamation and restoration such as to build, improve and upgrade the inner-field irrigation and road systems to ensure conditions for growing two or more rice crops a year; to restore the land surface and create a suitable top soil or improve the physical and chemical properties of land to grow two or more rice crops a year or improvement of other arable land such as to elevate the low and hollow rice farm land where only one rice crop can be grown a year due to difficult water drainage for growing two rice crops a year; to build and improve the irrigation system and raise the height of the terrain of wet-rice farm land that depends on rainwater or cannot be easily irrigated  where only one rice crop can be grown a year, for growing two rice crops a year; to build and restore upland rice land into terraced field land for growing two rice crops a year. And the methods also include the implementation of other plans suitable to local conditions to reclaim, restore and improve other rice farm land into wet-rice farm land.

Besides, methods of using the top soil to improve poor-quality rice farm land and other arable land include using the top soil to improve poor-quality rice farm land such as to increase the thickness of the plough layer and improve the physical and chemical properties of rice farm land  with a thin plough layer or physical and chemical properties which are less suitable for the growth and development of rice such as infertile, gray or sandy soil; to improve hollow, low or uneven rice farm land by elevating the terrain of rice fields and increasing the flatness of the terrain with the top soil. Another method is to use the top soil to improve other arable land such as to raise the terrain of farm land to prevent water logging; to increase the thickness and improve the quality of the plough layer and to add to farm land areas and gardens currently under industrial plants, fruit trees and other agricultural crops.