The funding, to be provided by the French Development Agency (AFD), will be use to upgrade and build three pumping stations in Luong Tai district and upgrade the irrigation channels in Gia Binh district.

This is part of the Strengthening Water Management and Irrigation Systems Rehabilitation project that has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

A group of AFD experts and MARD officials on March 4 made the final field trip to the project sites before construction work starts in July this year and is scheduled for completion by mid-2015.

Upon completion, the Phu My pumping station will provide water to 5,600 ha of cultivated land in Gia Thuan region and pump alluvial soil to fertilize the area.

The Nhat Trai and Kenh Vang II pumping stations, will go into operation along with a currently-used station to discharge flood water for over 14,800 ha in Gia Thuan region.

Over the years, the province has received funding from the AFD and the Asian Development Bank for its projects, which are now operating effectively.

The AFD has twice invested in two projects in Bac Ninh, which was completed in 2008. The first project was the Duong River stone embankment and a 30-km belt road along the dyke linking Thuan Thanh and Gia Binh districts. The second one was the Duong River flood prevention project.