AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION Examples of Good Practices in Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China Frank van Steenbergen, Frank Radstake, Fan Guisheng, and Zhang Wenzhong ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION Examples of Good Practices in Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China Frank van Steenbergen, Frank Radstake, Fan Guisheng, and Zhang Wenzhong ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) © 2016 Asian Development Bank 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City, 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines Tel +63 2 632 4444; Fax +63 2 636 2444 www.adb.org Some rights reserved. Published in 2016. Printed in the Philippines. ISBN 978-92-9257-613-4 (Print), 978-92-9257-614-1 (e-ISBN) Publication Stock No. RPT168467-2 Cataloging-In-Publication Data Asian Development Bank. Agricultural production and groundwater conservation: Examples of good practices in Shanxi province, People’s Republic of China. 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Corrigenda to ADB publications may be found at http://www.adb.org/publications/corrigenda CONTENTS IMAGES, TABLES, AND MAP iv FOREWORD v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii ABBREVIATIONS viii WEIGHTS AND MEASURES viii CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ix 1 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND GROUNDWATER USAGE 1 The Bigger Picture: Water and Agriculture in Northern People’s Republic of China 1 Development in Shanxi Province 1 Groundwater: Key to Sustainable Agricultural Production 2 A New Challenge: Adapting to a Changing Climate 3 Demonstrating More Sustainable Groundwater Usage 4 2 CONSERVING GROUNDWATER IN THE LOWLAND AREAS 7 Background and Rationale 7 Qi Xian County: Efficient Greenhouse Irrigation in the Plains 7 Qinxu County: Regulating Groundwater Use 12 3 INCREASING WATER PRODUCTIVITY IN THE UPLAND AREAS 14 Background and Rationale 14 Xi Xian County: Developing Horticulture in the Loess Plateau 14 Pingshun County: Creating a Controlled Environment for Specialty Crops 19 Lishi County: Developing Cold-Weather Irrigation 20 4 KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 23 Opportunities for Improvement 23 Technical Innovation: A Continuous Learning and Assessment Process 23 Sharing and Upscaling of Experiences 25 APPENDIXES 1 Groundwater Administration and Regulation in Shanxi Province 29 2 Strengthening the Management of Groundwater Resources in Shanxi Province 35 3 Selected Water-Saving Technologies and Practices Useful in Groundwater Irrigation 39 iii IMAGES, TABLES, AND MAP IMAGES Manager of the wells and water systems in Pingshun County xi Greenhouse farmer in Lishi County xii Groundwater monitoring is key to sustainable agricultural development 6 Lowland greenhouse area in Qi Xian County 8 Drip system in semiarched greenhouse in Qi Xian County 10 Proud owner of a modern drip system in a semiarched winter-proof greenhouse in Qi Xian County 11 Recording of swipe card well operating hours in Qinxu County 13 Loess Plateau in Xi Xian County 15 Layout of spring system in Xi Xian County 16 Buried water supply system in Xi Xian County 17 Farmer in Xi Xian County 18 Local enterprise expanding its capacity for prickly ash processing in Pingshun County 20 Cold area greenhouses in Lishi County 21 Warming pond in Lishi County 22 Greenhouses in Qi Xian County demonstrate efficient agriculture 24 Centrifugal filter and frequency converter in Qi Xian County 25 Demonstrating water-saving technologies at the Shanxi Groundwater Forum 26 Groundwater monitoring and public awareness in Jinan, Shandong Province 27 TABLES A1.1 National and Provincial Regulations Forming the Basis for Sustainable Groundwater Management in Shanxi Province 31 A1.2 Shanxi Province Standard for the Levy of Water Resources Fees, 2013 34 MAP Location of Demonstration Sites in Shanxi Province 5 iv FOREWORD ater security is one of the key global challenges for the 21st century. The Global Risks Report 2016 prepared for the World Economic Forum highlights the water crisis, along with the failure of climate change mitigation and Wadaptation measures (and weapons of mass destruction), as among the topmost impactful risks for the years to come.1 The 2016 report also focuses on the climate–water nexus and associated food security risk in the context of climate change. The report describes how changing climate and weather patterns can jeopardize food security and agricultural production across geographies. The countries most vulnerable to climate often heavily depend on agricultural productivity to sustain economic growth and development. In Asia and the Pacific, agriculture is the biggest consumer of water—on average, 70% of water resources are used for irrigated agriculture. Yet, the use of water in the agriculture sector remains inefficient and results in low productivity. At the same time, cities are growing at a phenomenal rate—by 2050, about 64% of Asia’s population will be urban. A growing population requires more food, energy, and domestic water. Asia has the fastest-growing economy—predicted to contribute up to 52% of the global gross domestic product by 2050. Moreover, considering the impacts from a changing climate, ensuring water security for all is essential for continued inclusive growth.2 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is working with member countries and other development partners to strengthen water management by implementing its Water Operational Plan, recognizing the increasing demand for water and its impacts on food production.3 As part of the needed integrated approach, the sustainable use of groundwater is emerging as a key to ensuring water security. Groundwater is often locally available, and, if managed well, it can supply good quality water all year round, including during drought seasons. In line with ADB’s Operational Plan for Agriculture and Natural Resources, ADB aims to promote inclusive growth and improved rural livelihoods by increasing agricultural productivity. The focus includes the water, food, and energy nexus to guarantee consistency across decision making and to create the best mix of solutions for each member country.4 In 2009, ADB approved the Shanxi Integrated Agricultural Development Project to strengthen agricultural production in 26 counties in Shanxi Province. Complementing the project is a $0.5 million grant from the Water Financing Partnership Facility to support climate change adaptation through groundwater management. The grant was given to Lishi, Pingshun, Qi Xian, and Xi Xian counties after a competitive selection process among local governments and farmers.