Innovative water practices are reshaping farming in Shaanxi

Innovative water-saving agricultural practices are reshaping farming techniques in Yulin, Shaanxi province.

By integrating a water-saving ethos into the entire production process, the region is boosting agricultural yields through technological innovation and exploration, forging a distinctive path toward dryland water-efficient agriculture on the Loess Plateau.

Gaoxigou village, once plagued by severe water scarcity in the hilly and ravine-filled region of Mizhi county, has undergone a remarkable transformation with the adoption of the "four-in-one" dryland agricultural water-saving project.

This comprehensive initiative includes the construction of ravine embankments, water pumping equipment powered by photovoltaic energy, specialized cellars, and a field irrigation pipeline network, seamlessly blending rainwater harvesting techniques with integrated dryland farming technologies.

Through the utilization of solar power, water stored in embankments is pumped to elevated cellars, doubling as rainwater collectors, facilitating drip irrigation for crops such as millet and apples across 122 hectares.

"By promoting the project in local dryland areas, constructing rainwater collection cellars, and effectively utilizing water from the sky and ravine embankments, we ensure timely irrigation, significantly boosting crop yields," said Li Rui, director of the agriculture and rural affairs bureau of Mizhi.