Project gives farmers stable water supply

He elaborated that a single hectare of farmland now yields 25 to 26 percent more produce than before, translating to a substantial 17-percent rise in income for the farmers.

In the midst of this agricultural revolution stands Zeng Zhe, a grape farmer from Yongzhou, Hunan province, whose journey epitomizes the project's positive impact.

Attracted by the favorable weather conditions in Yuanmou, Zeng leased almost half a hectare of land for grape planting in the Bingjian area in 2017. Thanks to the great irrigation conditions created by the project, the 31-year-old has gradually expanded his vineyard to 2 hectares, which brings his family a stable net income of 600,000 yuan annually.

"Access to piped water was pivotal in expanding my grape cultivation, boosting profits and productivity," he said.

Despite this, he also dug a borehole to get water and a small pond to store water for irrigation. But these facilities can only guarantee irrigation for about half a hectare of grapes, he said.

In the case of a heavy drought, he would hardly be able to manage to constantly pump water from the borehole, he said.

Considering the huge benefits of the project, the Yuanmou authorities, in cooperation with the Dayu company, are expanding the piped irrigation system to another 5,730 hectares of farmland, according to Yang, the agriculture and rural affairs official.

Construction on the new project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, he said.

With these irrigation facilities, he is even more hopeful for the future agricultural development of Yuanmou.

"While promoting traditional agricultural development, in the last five years we have devoted efforts to boost the agricultural breeding industry, and we're also striving to become a pioneer in the country's campaign of vitalizing the seed industry," he said.