Strive to increase the area under efficient water-saving irrigation to 30% by 2020
The State Council Information Office held a press conference. Li Guoying, Vice Minister of Water Resources, when introducing China's water-saving irrigation situation, said that water-saving irrigation must be vigorously developed, and efforts should be made to increase the proportion of efficient water-saving irrigation area in effective irrigation area to more than 30% by 2020.
Li Guoying said that, in accordance with the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, major water conservancy projects for water saving and water supply should be actively advanced, and water-saving irrigation should be vigorously developed. Efforts should be made to increase the proportion of the national water-saving irrigation project area in effective irrigation area to more than 60% by 2020, increase the proportion of efficient water-saving irrigation area in effective irrigation area to more than 30%, and achieve an effective utilization coefficient of farmland irrigation water of more than 0.55.
First, intensify water-saving renovation of existing irrigation districts. By 2020, the water-saving renovation of 434 large irrigation districts and 2,157 key medium-sized irrigation districts nationwide should be basically completed. In areas with adequate water and soil resource conditions, a number of new water-saving irrigation districts should be built.
Second, develop efficient water-saving irrigation on a large scale. Comprehensively implement large-scale efficient water-saving irrigation measures such as water-saving and grain-increasing in Northeast China, water-saving and efficiency-increasing in Northwest China, water-saving and extraction reduction in North China, and water-saving and emission reduction in South China. In hilly and mountainous areas, build “five small water conservancy” projects according to local conditions and develop rainwater harvesting and water-saving irrigation. Vigorously promote water-saving controlled irrigation technology for rice.
⟦NL> Third, establish a reverse forcing mechanism for water-saving irrigation. Implement the strictest water resources management system, carry out total amount control and quota management of irrigation water use, and establish an agricultural water price formation mechanism compatible with it, thereby forming a performance assessment and economic regulation reverse forcing mechanism conducive to the development of water-saving irrigation.
Fourth, establish an incentive mechanism for water-saving irrigation. Actively explore realization paths such as privately run with public assistance, replacing subsidies with awards, and subsidizing after construction, and encourage and guide farmers, farmer water user cooperative organizations, and new agricultural operators to become the main body for the construction and management of water-saving irrigation projects. By improving preferential policies such as pricing, taxation, and finance, attract social capital investment in water-saving irrigation. Explore the establishment of a trading mechanism for the right to use water saved by water-saving irrigation and a government repurchase mechanism.
Fifth, establish a long-term operation mechanism for water-saving irrigation. Actively advance reform of the property rights system for water-saving irrigation projects, clarify project ownership and use rights, and establish a management, protection, and operation responsibility system. Strengthen the construction of grassroots water conservancy service systems, strengthen irrigation experiments and the application of results, and scientifically guide water-saving irrigation. Improve the professional and socialized service capacity and level of water-saving irrigation, so that water-saving irrigation projects can be built, well managed, and bring long-term benefits.