CPWF Basin Focal Project (BFP) workshop was successfully held in Yellow River Basin during January 6-13, 2008. The workshop was organized by Dr. Claudia Ringler from IFPRI, with coordination of Ms. Sun Feng, the BC of Yellow River Basin. There were 17 participants from 7 organizations and departments attending 2.5 day project meeting at YRCC headquarters and 7 attendees and local staff involved in the 4-day basin diagnostic tour.

During the 4-day basin tour, the participants visited Farmland Irrigation Research Institute, main irrigation districts in YRB and talked with the local staff about irrigation modes, irrigation system, water-saving works. The project group also discussed with the local farmers about their response to current water tariff, decreasing irrigation water, water quality, main crop and living condition etc. By 2.5day project meeting, water management in YRB was introduced, the roles and main tasks of each work packages were addressed, and data needs and data exchange for each work package were identified.

The workshop kicked off the Project, which is intended to find out high-impact interventions for reducing water-related poverty in the Yellow River Basin. Yellow River Basin supports several main food yield districts in China, but the challenge of water scarcity faced by Yellow River now poses one of main obstacles to farms? livelihood. The implementation of the BFP is thus believed to reduce the water-related poverty and improve the water use efficiency in irrigation districts of YRB, as well as advance the water resources management.

Visiting the Dongping Lake irrigation district

Meeting at headquarter of YRCC