Historie znad Mekongu - Vu Images

Vietnam, An Giang, July 9, 2009 An Giang province, near the Cambodian border. Rice farming and water usage, a complex equilibrium. The river's fertile water feeds the rice fields, vegetable gardens and orchards. During the dry season, the farmers dig dikes to temporarily flood their fields. While agriculture is by far the biggest consumer of fresh water (about 90% of the water consumed on a global scale), rice production uses more water than any other crop. The rice fields' water, used for seepage and drainage, plant evapotranspiration and soil preparation, is recycled and utilized for other purposes. The rice fields' aquatic environment is equally rich in animal biodiversity (fish, snails, etc.), and allows for diversification of production and feeding. Although new rice farming techniques have been developed with the precise purpose of saving water, the delicate balance of the entire system of rice cultivation and the role of water in it, has been upset. The challenge of water management is to constantly maintain a balance between resource preservation and water's use in agriculture, fishing, and breeding. Vietnam, An Giang, 9 juillet 2009 Province d'An Giang, prcs de la fronticre cambodgienne. Riz et usages de l'eau, un equilibre complexe. Les eaux fertiles du fleuve nourrissent les rizicres, les potagers et les vergers. Pendant la periode scche, les paysans n'hesitent pas r ouvrir quelques digues pour noyer momentanement leurs champs. Si l'agriculture est de loin le premier consommateur d'eau douce (environ 90 % de l'eau consommee r l'echelle mondiale), le riz emploie r lui seul plus d'eau que toute autre culture. Utilisee pour l'infiltration et le drainage, l'evapotranspiration des plants et la preparation des sols, l'eau des rizicres est ensuite reemployee r d'autres usages. Le milieu aquatique rizicole est egalement riche d'une biodiversite animale (poissons, escargots etc.) qui permet la diversification de