China invests 38 bln in water-efficient farming

Chinese authorities will create a fund worth 38 billion Yuan (1.27 billion U.S. dollars) by 2015 to develop water-efficient farms in northeast China's grain-producing areas. The fund will be used to develop 38 million mu (2.53 million hectares) of water-efficient farmland in four northeastern regions, the Chinese News Agency (Xinhua) reported. The central budget will allocate 22.8 billion Yuan, or 60 percent of the fund, while the rest of the money will be raised by local governments and farmers. The funds will be used to promote efficient irrigation technology in the four regions over the next four years in an effort to ease water shortages and increase grain production. (QNA)