China's south-to-north water diversion project, expected to start operation in the coming days, will ease the drought that has been plaguing north China, greatly improving grain output, officials and experts have said.
About 13 percent of water will be assigned for agriculture, which will add 6 billion cubic meters of water for ecological and agricultural use, said E Jingping, director of the South-North Water Diversion Office of the State Council, China’s cabinet.
Currently, 16 million mu (1 million hectares) of dryland wheat is being planted in Henan Province with average output of 150 to 200 kilograms per mu, said Huang Wei, an official with the provincial agriculture department.
“With water from the project, output can reach 400 kg to 500 kg per mu,” said Huang.
Henan is currently suffering its worst drought in 63 years, said Huang.
The project will gradually restore the environment in north China and improve grain production, said Wang Hao, an academic with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The project was conceived by Chinese leader Mao Zedong in 1952. The State Council approved the project in 2002.