Experts advocate innovative water conservation for Yellow River Basin

english.jinan.gov.cn2024-11-22 10:08:18

　　Experts called for innovative strategies and high-quality water conservation efforts to enhance the ecological environment of the Yellow River Basin at the fourth China Water Conservation Forum held in Jinan, Shandong province, on Nov 19.

　　The forum attracted experts, scholars, business representatives, and local government officials from the water conservation sector to exchange insights and explore solutions for advancing sustainable water conservation.

　　The Yellow River basin is a typical example of regions facing severe water shortages, said Ma Yonglai, deputy director of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources. According to Ma, the region, with only 2 percent of the nation's water resources, supports 12 percent of China's population.

　　Gao Zhanyi, the lifelong honorary president of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, said that irrigation is critically important in the region, not only for agriculture but also for addressing urban water supply needs. It plays a crucial role in ecological water supply as well as ensuring food security, water security, and ecological safety.

　　Water ecology conservation is a crucial part of efforts to promote high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, said Wang Guangqian, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

　　More efforts should be made to speed up progress on the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), he added. The TSFP is the world's largest afforestation project and is aimed at tackling desertification in northwest, north, and northeast China. It was launched in 1978 and is scheduled to be completed by 2050.

　　Professor Kang Shaozhong from China Agricultural University emphasized that the key solution to securing water safety for China's agricultural development lies in technological innovation to enhance water resource utilization.