Chapter 15
Agricultural Water Management
in Northern China
Abstract This chapter analyzes agricultural water resources management in
northern China. Agricultural water use and production are introduced. The agricultural water management framework is analyzed. The key reforms related to agricultural water management are investigated, including institutional reform, water
pricing, and water rights. At the same time, the external factors influencing agricultural water policy, field-level activities, and environmental concerns are also
discussed. China has managed to decouple agricultural production from water use in
the past 20 years. In China, managing agricultural water resources involves not only
resources development and land use, it is also a critical issue entwined with economic
development, social stability, and the health of the environment. Therefore, one single
policy reform or improvement can easily become lost in the machinery and fail to
reach its target. Such a complex system requires a comprehensive policy structure
which can incorporate internal reform and external supports, improve both structural
measures and non-structural instruments, and account for macro-level policies and
field-level activities.
Keywords Agricultural water resources management · Institutional reform ·
Comprehensive agricultural water pricing reform · Small farming · Agricultural
water rights reform
15.1 Introduction
In terms of water use, the agricultural sector plays a critical role in both quantity
and quality. More than two-thirds of the water supply is provided for agricultural
production. In the early 1980s, more than 80% of the supply was used for irrigation.
At the same time, agriculture in China is characterized by low productivity and high
levels of waste. Irrigation water-use efficiency is less than 0.5. In addition, agricultural
non-point pollution contributes heavily to water quality degradation in both surface
water bodies and groundwater aquifers. Over-use of chemical fertilizers, together
with improper agricultural water use management, exacerbate water pollution and
reduce fertilizer use efficiency. At present, more than half of all pollutants in water
bodies come from non-point sources.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Shen, Water Resources Management of the People’s Republic of China,
Global Issues in Water Policy 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61931-2_15
307
Agricultural Water Management
in Northern China
Abstract This chapter analyzes agricultural water resources management in
northern China. Agricultural water use and production are introduced. The agricultural water management framework is analyzed. The key reforms related to agricultural water management are investigated, including institutional reform, water
pricing, and water rights. At the same time, the external factors influencing agricultural water policy, field-level activities, and environmental concerns are also
discussed. China has managed to decouple agricultural production from water use in
the past 20 years. In China, managing agricultural water resources involves not only
resources development and land use, it is also a critical issue entwined with economic
development, social stability, and the health of the environment. Therefore, one single
policy reform or improvement can easily become lost in the machinery and fail to
reach its target. Such a complex system requires a comprehensive policy structure
which can incorporate internal reform and external supports, improve both structural
measures and non-structural instruments, and account for macro-level policies and
field-level activities.
Keywords Agricultural water resources management · Institutional reform ·
Comprehensive agricultural water pricing reform · Small farming · Agricultural
water rights reform
15.1 Introduction
In terms of water use, the agricultural sector plays a critical role in both quantity
and quality. More than two-thirds of the water supply is provided for agricultural
production. In the early 1980s, more than 80% of the supply was used for irrigation.
At the same time, agriculture in China is characterized by low productivity and high
levels of waste. Irrigation water-use efficiency is less than 0.5. In addition, agricultural
non-point pollution contributes heavily to water quality degradation in both surface
water bodies and groundwater aquifers. Over-use of chemical fertilizers, together
with improper agricultural water use management, exacerbate water pollution and
reduce fertilizer use efficiency. At present, more than half of all pollutants in water
bodies come from non-point sources.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Shen, Water Resources Management of the People’s Republic of China,
Global Issues in Water Policy 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61931-2_15
307