Agricultural Production and Groundwater Conservation: Examples of Good Practices in Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

Abstract

Climate change and declining water resources threaten food production systems worldwide, increasing the need for efficient agricultural processes. The Shanxi Province of the People’s Republic of China has been experiencing declining groundwater tables since 1956. This publication provides examples of how the Asian Development Bank’s development support met the rising challenges in water security, food production, and climate change faced by communities in the Shanxi Province. It describes initiatives in four counties in the Shanxi Province selected as pilot areas, where traditional farmers learned modern methods of groundwater use and management. As a result, options for more sustainable use of groundwater were introduced, while farm labor was reduced, crop yields increased, and water was used more efficiently.