15.4 Key Sectoral Reforms
321
In 1999, the participatory irrigation management was promoted in the
district. The district implemented six-form reform based on WUA, including
the professional and public combination, the canal leader responsibility, watercombination contract, water supply company, and management contract; and
set up the three-level public participatory irrigation management institution
consisting of water user representative congress, WUA and water user group.
At the end of 2008, 332 WUAs had been set up, together with 649 canal leader
responsibilities, 380 water-combination contracts, 2 water supply companies,
12 professional and the public combinations, and 6 management contracts.
After the reform, the field-level canal irrigation water use efficiency
increased from 0.6 to 0.9. The crop irrigation quota decreased 300–1350 m
3
per ha. Additionally, water tariff expenditure, irrigation timing and labor input
decreased.
Sources: Bei (2008).
15.4.2 Investment Reform
Investment related to agricultural water resources management has changed gradually since 1990 in China, following a trend from farmer labor input with governmental
support, to the end of labor input and setting up of a special government fund, to a
continuous increase in government funding. Public investment has grown in tandem
with rapid economic growth in China. In terms of water infrastructure, these changes
also involve an extension of governmental investment from key or large-scale projects
to field-level or small-scale facilities.
15.4.2.1 Before 2000
In the 1993 Agricultural Law, Article 45 defined that state investment in agriculture
would focus on construction in the following areas of water infrastructure and engineering: key projects to harness major rivers and lakes, and large-scale flood control,
drainage, water supply, and irrigation projects. It also specified that field-level irrigation infrastructure should be funded by agricultural operational organizations and
agricultural labor by capital and labor inputs and that the state should provide the
necessary aid. In the same year, agricultural policies issued by the State Council
indicated that the labor accumulation system should be insisted on continuously
to organize farmers to input labor in order to strengthen irrigation infrastructure
development.
Additionally, 1996 Notice on Further Strengthening Irrigation Infrastructure
Development issued pointed out that the strengthening of irrigation infrastructure
321
In 1999, the participatory irrigation management was promoted in the
district. The district implemented six-form reform based on WUA, including
the professional and public combination, the canal leader responsibility, watercombination contract, water supply company, and management contract; and
set up the three-level public participatory irrigation management institution
consisting of water user representative congress, WUA and water user group.
At the end of 2008, 332 WUAs had been set up, together with 649 canal leader
responsibilities, 380 water-combination contracts, 2 water supply companies,
12 professional and the public combinations, and 6 management contracts.
After the reform, the field-level canal irrigation water use efficiency
increased from 0.6 to 0.9. The crop irrigation quota decreased 300–1350 m
3
per ha. Additionally, water tariff expenditure, irrigation timing and labor input
decreased.
Sources: Bei (2008).
15.4.2 Investment Reform
Investment related to agricultural water resources management has changed gradually since 1990 in China, following a trend from farmer labor input with governmental
support, to the end of labor input and setting up of a special government fund, to a
continuous increase in government funding. Public investment has grown in tandem
with rapid economic growth in China. In terms of water infrastructure, these changes
also involve an extension of governmental investment from key or large-scale projects
to field-level or small-scale facilities.
15.4.2.1 Before 2000
In the 1993 Agricultural Law, Article 45 defined that state investment in agriculture
would focus on construction in the following areas of water infrastructure and engineering: key projects to harness major rivers and lakes, and large-scale flood control,
drainage, water supply, and irrigation projects. It also specified that field-level irrigation infrastructure should be funded by agricultural operational organizations and
agricultural labor by capital and labor inputs and that the state should provide the
necessary aid. In the same year, agricultural policies issued by the State Council
indicated that the labor accumulation system should be insisted on continuously
to organize farmers to input labor in order to strengthen irrigation infrastructure
development.
Additionally, 1996 Notice on Further Strengthening Irrigation Infrastructure
Development issued pointed out that the strengthening of irrigation infrastructure