China to accelerate water-saving irrigation development

China will accelerate the construction of water conservation projects to develop water-efficient irrigation.

China's Water Resource Ministry held a press conference on the developments in this area. The Vice Minister, Li Yingguo, said China is facing a problem of "more people, less water". The average per capita water availability in the country is only one fourth of that of the world average.

The government has made water-saving irrigation part of its national strategy, and has set targets of using such irrigation in more than 60 percent of irrigated areas, and using high-efficiency water-saving irrigation in more than 30 percent of irrigated areas. More than 400 large irrigation areas and more than 2,000 mid-sized irrigation areas will be completed by 2020.