Modern water efficient farming system and associated new products, a project jointly initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, and Ministry of Agriculture in 2002, has recently passed a validation review. The project is implemented in three phases: advanced water efficient farming and associated key technology innovations, R&D of major products and key equipment and associated commercial applications, and integration of technical systems and associated demonstration. The project, teemed with 55 research topics, has attracted the participation of 282 domestic research institutes, universities, and enterprises.
Derived from the 4-year efforts are a range of findings that led to the establishment of an advanced water efficient farming system tailored to China?痵 situation, featured with raised water efficiency for crops, arable land, and ditches, and improved water recycling and enhanced returns. The project produces water efficient products and equipment that are environment friendly with high efficiency and low consumption. The combination of advanced water efficient technologies, products and key equipment with practical technologies has resulted in a line of water efficient farming models for different regional needs.
The project has generated 110 key technologies, 146 new technology products, and 27 demonstration production lines. It also screened out 129 drought resistant and water efficient materials, and 28 new species of similar advantages. Also came out from the efforts are a range of intellectual properties, including 320 patent applications, 160 patent grants, 48 software, and 35 copyright registrations, in addition to 53 technology standards, of which 29 have been put into implementation. With 18 demonstration areas for water efficient farming over an area of 250,000 mu(1 mu= 0.0667 hectare), the project is registered with a diffusing area approaching 320 million mu, a saved water consumption of 8.5 billion cubic meters, an increased grain yield of 15 billion kg, and an additional output worth RMB 8.8 billion. |
