A device for water saving irrigation has lately been developed by Yangling Qinchuan Water Saving Irrigation Equipment Company, an inserted device of a cylindrical type for dripping irrigation. For its production, an agreement has been signed between the company and Israeli Plastro Company, the manufacturer of water saving irrigation equipment, the second most of the world.

The Yangling-Qinchuan is the largest irrigation equipment manufacture in China. The new equipment is developed totally by means of homemade materials and the test conducted by state water conservancy department indicated that the major technology index has surpassed that of the same type made in Israel.

The water shortage emerges a crucial problem of global concern in the recent 20 years or so. Those desertification or aridity countries and regions have all adopted water saving irrigation technology to improve their agricultural development. Related statistics show that the popularization rate of water saving irrigation technology in America has reached 54% and Russia 42%, with Israel topping 95%, while China has so far reached 2% only.

China is among the 13 countries suffering most from water shortage in the world. The contradiction between the need for water and the shortage in supply is very prominent. During the year of moderate drought, the irrigation areas see short of 30 billion cubic meters of water per year, Up to now, China still has 1.2 billion mu of arable land with no irrigation equipment.

To alleviate the water shortage problem, China has recently been engaged in the research and development of irrigation equipment with progress made successively.

(People's Daily 11/02/2000)