Qinghai province, across the Tibetan Plateau in the upper Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, is one of the poorest provinces in the People's Republic of China (PRC) because of its remote location, mountainous landscape, and extreme climate. Agriculture remains an important sector and improving water management to meet irrigation water needs is the primary agricultural development priority.
To meet the challenge of low agricultural productivity due to unreliable water for irrigation and poor agronomic practices, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at government’s request, approved a $60 million loan for the Qinghai Rural Water Resources Management Project in March 2011. The project was to be carried out in the three nationally designated poor counties of Hualong, Jianzha, populated mainly by ethnic minority groups. At appraisal, its intended impact was increased farmer incomes and reduced poverty in the project counties. Its expected outcome was increased agricultural productivity and more efficient irrigation water use in the project area. Four outputs were planned: (i) climate-resilient irrigation infrastructure, including conversion of the existing lift irrigation schemes to gravity irrigation using two existing reservoirs in the area; (ii) participatory irrigation management (PIM); (iii) strengthened agricultural service support for increased productivity and climate change adaptation; and (iv) improved project management.
All the planned outputs were successfully delivered at project completion. Major achievements include (i) 13,955 hectares of irrigable land served by rehabilitated or newly constructed irrigation systems, with flow-regulating and measurement structures established; (ii) 12 water users association (WUA) models established, registered, and operationally demonstrating PIM, and irrigation management training provided to service delivery organizations and WUAs; (iii) 62% of active local farmers in the project area trained in improved agronomic measures, new irrigation and farming technologies introduced and demonstrated, and crops diversified with 38% of commercial crops; and (iv) training and study tours conducted following a self-assessment and capacity development strategy. These accomplishments enabled the project to effectively address two core development problems in the project area – low agricultural productivity and poor irrigation conditions – and achieve its expected outcome and impact.
Around 195,400 farmers, mainly ethnic minorities (95%), have benefited directly from the project through increased agricultural productivity and more efficient irrigation water use in the project area. In addition, the project (i) increased unskilled job opportunities for vulnerable groups, including women and the poor; (ii) improved the ecological environment through reduced water loss and soil erosion; (iii) developed climate-resilient irrigation infrastructure; (iv) increased knowledge of local farmers on irrigation management, water conservation, crop cultivation, and field management through tailored training and education programs; and (v) strengthened social cohesion through a sufficient water supply and decreased water disputes.
Project practices of establishing WUAs based on hydrological units of the irrigation system, promoting farmers’ participation in the implementation and operation and maintenance of the irrigation schemes, incentivizing efficient on-farm irrigation, and respecting ethnic minority cultures and holding meaningful consultations have set a good example for Qingha.
The Qinghai provincial government, acting through the Qinghai Provincial Water Resources Department, was the executing agency for the project. The county project management offices oversaw and coordinated the ground-level implementation activities.
