China’s Agricultural Water Policy Reforms - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 120

1.1 Agriculture is the biggest water user in China
Agriculture has a significant role in China. At all times, more than two-thirds of total
water use is agricultural water use. Water resources development has a very important
role in China's economy, especially in relation to agriculture. At present, agricultural
water use is 400 billion cubic meters, with irrigation water use 360 billion cubic meters,
65% of the total water use of the country.
1.2 The high pressure of agricultural water supply to secure the grain
production
Agricultural irrigation greatly contributes to China's domestic grain supply. The
irrigation area makes up one-third of total cultivated fields, providing two-thirds of total
grain products. It is estimated that grain production must reach 575 million tons and 650
million tons in 2010 and 2030 respectively. Facing a decrease in cultivated land areas and
current high unit output, in order to increase grain production to secure the supply of
grain and other agricultural products, it is necessary to enlarge the effective irrigation
areas and to strongly promote agricultural water saving.
It is projected that the total demand for agricultural water will be 418.6 billion cubic
meters in 2010 and 463.4 billion cubic meters in 2030, while agricultural water
availability will be 398 billion cubic meters in 2010 and 420 billion cubic meters in 2030,
allowing for sustainable development, effective protection and efficient reuse of water
resources. Thus, the shortfall in agricultural water would be 20.7 billion cubic meters in
2010 and 43.4 billion cubic meters in 2030. The irrigation water shortfall will be
15.9 billion cubic meters in 2010 and 39.1 billion cubic meters in 2030.
1.3 The intensified conflict between agriculture and industry, urban areas
and the ecology
During rapid social and economic development, with increasing use of industrial and
domestic water, many water sources of good quality and high security are diverted to
industrial and domestic use, with a decrease in agricultural water supply security. At the
same time, with the consumption of agricultural water, agriculture begins to encroach on
ecological water use, which causes the environment to deteriorate in some regions. It is
necessary to return water to the environment. Therefore, conflicts over water will be more
and more severe.
1.4 Low efficiency of agricultural water use
The efficiency of agricultural water use is lower in China. The average efficiency of
channel water use is 0.4-0.6. The efficiency of field water use is 0.6-0.7. Irrigation water
production is about 1.0 kg/m 3 . In the 80 million hectares of fields without irrigation, the
field water production ratio is about 0.6-0.75 kg/m 3 . The North China Plain is the area of
higher agricultural water use in the country, but still with great variance between regions.
1.5 Unclear agricultural water use rights
According to the 2002 Water Law, water resources belong to the state. Due to the
lack of integrated management, the definition of water resources rights is unclear. The
water drawing permit system has been implemented since 1994. But the super-small scale