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Across Thailand, many farmers are growing worried as they wait for the rainyseason.
“This is the worst drought ever,” says this rice farmer.
To protect water supplies, the government has reduced the flow of water fromreservoirs. The reduction has changed the look of many rice fields.Irrigation ditches are now filled with wet soil or mud. They normally are fullwith water for crops.
Anant Seechanpang is a rice farmer. He is hoping for a more permanentsolution to the problem.
He says, “We need help building a dam or a reservoir to keep water for us touse for planting rice while we wait for the rain to come -- to hold the water for amonth or so before the rainy season starts.”
Some farmers are now digging for groundwater. But this activity might putaquifers at risk. Last year, officials warned that some underground watersupplies would run dry. But many farmers were unprepared.
Some agricultural experts say Thai farmers need help learning new ways todeal with having less water.
The expert says “The farmers don’t have enough knowledge to deal with thedrought. They’ve told me they need help from the government to send them tostudy in similar countries on rice production to learn how to cope and handlethe problem.”
Thailandis one of the biggest rice producers in the world. For now, Thaiofficials are predicting a 43 percent drop in off-season rice production. Thatwould be the lowest amount in 15 years.
For many people, the lack of rainfall only worries them more and more. The country’s military rulers already cancelled a rice-buying program that cost thegovernment billions of dollars.
But officials say the current crisis is a top concern. They hold emergencymeetings to discuss water restrictions.
A government irrigation officer told VOA, “We’ve had to ask the farmers toslow down on the rice planting. We have asked them to postpone theirplanting just to prevent them fighting over the water.”
Many Thais hope that the sharp drop in rice production is a rarity.
I’m Jim Tedder.
Steve Sandford reported on this story from Chiang Mai, Thailand. TriwikKurniasari adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
drought– n. a period during which there is very little or no rainfall
reservoirs– n. places that store water
irrigation – n. artificial or man-made methods to grow plants
aquifer– n. underground rock that can hold water
cope– v. to deal with a problem
