Water use in agriculture in China: importance,challenges, and implications for policy

Irrigation is too important for China to live without. With 75% of grain production of China coming from irrigated land, irrigation plays a major role in food security and poverty alleviation in China, and even in stabilizing the world grain market due to the potential significance of China's gain imports. Yet, water use in China's agriculture faces ever-increasing challenges. These include water shortage, pollution, transferring water out of agriculture, and a surprisingly low water use efficiency. Some possible solutions to these problems can be grouped into two categories: supply-side solutions and demand-side solutions. Demand-side solutions that try to raise water use efficiency are more promising and have higher payoffs on investment. In addition to water pricing reform, comprehensive reform is required to induce farmers to use water efficiently in China.