Chen Lin

Water-saving irrigation technology has been promoted and applied in China for about 30 years. After introduction, digestion, absorption and scientific research, it has achieved rapid development. In the process of promoting and applying water-saving irrigation technology, the innovation of water-saving irrigation facilities has benefited greatly from the rapid development of the plastic industry. The development of plastic water-saving equipment has played a key role in promoting the rapid development of the water-saving irrigation industry, but some problems have also emerged. Recently, the Plastic Water-Saving Equipment Professional Committee of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association conducted a survey on the plastic water-saving irrigation equipment industry, sorted out the problems existing in the development of the industry, and put forward relevant suggestions.

Current Status of Water-Saving Irrigation and Plastic Water-Saving Equipment

1. The application and promotion of plastic water-saving equipment has promoted the development of water-saving irrigation

Plastics provide ideal raw materials for agricultural water-saving equipment, which has strongly promoted the development of agricultural plastic water-saving equipment, forming a full set of micro-irrigation equipment such as sprinklers, pipes and fittings, filtration equipment, fertilization equipment, valves, etc. The product technical performance and quality are mainly medium and high-end, and the micro-irrigation equipment product pattern of high, medium and low coexistence. By the end of 2013, China's irrigation area was 1.0422 billion mu, of which 406.6 million mu were water-saving irrigation projects (44.86 million mu were sprinkler irrigation, 57.85 million mu were micro-irrigation, 111.36 million mu were low-pressure pipe irrigation, and 192.55 million mu were channel anti-seepage projects). From a regional perspective, the application and promotion of plastic water-saving equipment in the central and western regions has grown rapidly. For example, by 2014, Xinjiang's high-efficiency water-saving irrigation area had reached 41.8 million mu, and agricultural plastic water-saving equipment has become another new highlight of the plastics industry after agricultural mulch films, and has initially formed an industrial system with Xinjiang characteristics. At present, Xinjiang is the largest agricultural plastic water-saving equipment production concentration area in China and even in the world.

2. The application of high-efficiency water-saving irrigation technology, mainly sub-membrane drip irrigation technology, has achieved remarkable results

Since 1996, Xinjiang has innovatively completed a sub-membrane drip irrigation technology system with independent intellectual property rights, and has fully realized industrialization. According to statistics, by the end of 2014, the Corps promoted and applied sub-membrane drip irrigation on 14.1 million mu of land, and Xinjiang promoted and applied sub-membrane drip irrigation on 27.7 million mu of land, creating many records in the world, such as the strongest adaptability, the largest field application promotion area, the lowest price, and the most obvious comprehensive benefits, and has been recognized by relevant national technical experts and the majority of farmers. At present, the area of sub-membrane drip irrigation technology promoted and applied in China has exceeded 60 million mu, and the rapid promotion and application of this technology has greatly promoted the development of China's water-saving irrigation cause.

Problems in the water-saving irrigation and plastic water-saving irrigation equipment industry

1. China's agricultural water-saving compensation mechanism is in urgent need of establishment. In 1999, the Ministry of Water Resources proposed the idea of water management from engineering water conservancy to resource water conservancy, sustainable development water conservancy and modern water conservancy. At present, there are still problems with access to agricultural water conservation and long-term incentives for agricultural water conservation, and the compensation mechanism for agricultural water conservation has not yet been formed. 2. Most manufacturers of plastic water-saving equipment are small in scale, single in product, low in quality qualification rate, and the market is not standardized. At present, there are more than 5,000 enterprises of various types active in the Chinese water-saving irrigation market, and more than 500 water-saving irrigation equipment manufacturers, but there are no more than 20 large-scale and strong enterprises that truly realize professional and serialized production. 3. The comprehensive planning and design capabilities of agricultural water conservation need to be improved. At present, there is a lack of design talents with professional experience in water-saving irrigation and strong design institutions. 4. The basic theoretical research on the application of agricultural water-saving technology is weak, the water resource utilization coefficient is not high, and the degree of automation of agricultural water-saving irrigation is low. 5. Focus on the construction of agricultural water-saving irrigation projects and neglect project management. 6. The standard system needs to be improved. The national standard system for water-saving irrigation technology has not yet been established.

Countermeasures and Suggestions

1. Improve the industry innovation system and mechanism, and encourage leading enterprises to actively participate in the market-oriented operation of irrigation water. According to the water management idea of "water conservation first, spatial balance, system governance, and two-pronged approach" proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the market-oriented operation of irrigation water is the development trend of water resources management. It is recommended to increase the intensity of water rights reform, further improve the system and mechanism of water-saving irrigation project construction, and use multiple channels and multiple models to encourage enterprises to participate in the construction of PPP water-saving irrigation and water conservancy projects.

2. The government takes the lead in supervising the quality of water-saving irrigation products. Establish a quality standard system for plastic water-saving products; it is recommended that relevant departments jointly establish a national water-saving product quality supervision team to strengthen the supervision of the quality of various water-saving products and their manufacturers, and standardize existing policies and technical regulations. For buried pipe products for water-saving irrigation, formulate and improve corresponding national standards to ensure the quality of products, reach the planned service life, and avoid repeated construction investment; for drip irrigation belt products, strictly implement the support policy of exempting drip irrigation products from value-added tax.

3. Standardize the planning, design, construction and operation management of agricultural water-saving irrigation projects. First, standardize the design market and improve the level of planning and design. Second, further improve the series of specifications and procedures for existing technical products, construction and operation management. Third, improve the management mechanism and system of drip irrigation project construction, and improve the grassroots agricultural water-saving promotion service system.

4. Jointly establish the China Water-Saving Collaborative Innovation Center with industry, academia and research to consolidate the application of basic theoretical research. Agricultural water-saving irrigation is a system engineering. Only by coordinating the water efficiency of the whole process of crops-farmland-water pipelines or canals-water sources can efficient water use be truly achieved. It is recommended to strengthen the cooperation among enterprises, universities, scientific research institutions and production and application departments, establish the China Water-Saving Collaborative Innovation Center, build and create a large-scale modern comprehensive water-saving experimental demonstration area, and play the role of scientific research platform, education base and demonstration window.

5. Build a water-saving equipment innovation platform and strengthen the development of independent core product innovation. Strengthen the construction of the National Water-Saving Irrigation Engineering Technology Research Center to improve the innovation ability of core key technologies of water-saving; build an integrated platform for the design and manufacturing of water-saving equipment based on simulation technology to improve the development and innovation ability of water-saving products and equipment. In terms of water delivery, develop new types of extra-large diameter pipes while ensuring improved product quality and service life. In terms of field drip irrigation systems, develop low-pressure, small-flow, high-resistance to blocking irrigation devices, new drip irrigation belts (tubes), economical automatic control systems, solenoid valves, etc. In terms of water quality treatment, it is necessary to develop filtering facilities with good performance and low energy consumption. Steadily promote the automatic control drip irrigation system with "economical and practical" as the main focus.

6. Further formulate and improve the standard system and regulate the market. It is recommended to formulate and improve the standard system for water-saving irrigation technology, including raw materials and their products, agronomic water-saving, engineering technology, comprehensive water-saving technology, etc., establish and improve the market access system through product certification, and promote the rapid and healthy development of the water-saving irrigation industry.

(The author is the director of Xinjiang Tianye Agricultural Research Institute and chairman of Xinjiang Tianye Water-Saving Irrigation Co., Ltd.)

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