15. Agricultural Water Management in Northern China

This chapter analyzes agricultural water resources management in northern China. Agricultural water use and production are introduced. The agricultural water management framework is analyzed. The key reforms related to agricultural water management are investigated, including institutional reform, water pricing, and water rights. At the same time, the external factors influencing agricultural water policy, field-level activities, and environmental concerns are also discussed. China has managed to decouple agricultural production from water use in the past 20 years. In China, managing agricultural water resources involves not only resources development and land use, it is also a critical issue entwined with economic development, social stability, and the health of the environment. Therefore, one single policy reform or improvement can easily become lost in the machinery and fail to reach its target. Such a complex system requires a comprehensive policy structure which can incorporate internal reform and external supports, improve both structural measures and non-structural instruments, and account for macro-level policies and field-level activities.