Although it has plenty of rainfall, China's coastal province of Zhejiang has resorted to the micro-irrigation technology, in the hope of saving water resources and improving agricultural productivity.
Micro-irrigation, including drip irrigation and micro-spray irrigation, is regarded as vital to tapping the potential of agricultural development in China.
Many regions in northwest China have already introduced or are considering to use the micro-irrigation technology, because they suffer from water shortages.
Since 1995, the micro-irrigation technology has been adopted in nearly 6,700 hectares of farmland in Zhejiang, helping increase vegetable yields by nearly 15 percent.
With micro-irrigation equipment imported from Israel, the technology was applied in cultivating fruit, tea, and flowers.
(People's Daily 02/15/2001)
