Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 11th . Title: Take the initiative to fight drought and help farmers stabilize production and maintain bumper harvests - Observation on the front line of drought and farmers in many places

  Xinhua News Agency reporters Yang Chi, Wang Feihang, and Liu Tong

  Affected by multiple factors such as insufficient precipitation, drought has occurred in many places in my country. The forecast released by the Central Meteorological Observatory on the 11th showed that in the next 10 days, precipitation will continue to be less, and the temperature will be high, and the drought will be maintained and developed.

  The reporter learned from the interview that relevant provinces actively carry out drought resistance work, and minimize disaster losses through scheduling water sources, drought sprinkler prevention, drought seedling cultivation, etc., and help agriculture to achieve stable and bumper harvests.

  Adverse effects of persistent drought

  As the three water pumps started at the same time, the clear river water flowed along the pipeline into the "thirsty" rice fields in Hanhe Village, Baxian Town, Pingli County, Shaanxi Province. "This is 'life-saving water'!" Villager Li Xiuhua watched the water flow into his rice fields, and his frown finally stretched out. After the beginning of spring this year, the rainfall in Baxian Town was nearly 50% less than usual, and some farmland in Hanhe Village could not be irrigated due to lack of water.

  Since the beginning of this year, due to high temperatures and low rainfall, drought has developed rapidly in South China, North China, Northwest China, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Sichuan.

  Since last fall, Guangxi has experienced rare weather of continuous droughts in autumn, winter and spring. According to statistics from the meteorological department, from November 2024 to April this year, the average precipitation in Guangxi was nearly 70% less than the same period in the previous year, the lowest in the same period since the complete meteorological record was found in 1961. Severe drought occurred in some areas, and agricultural irrigation water was affected to varying degrees.

  As the largest winter wheat producing area in Shanxi, Yuncheng's winter wheat area accounts for more than half of the province. At present, more than 4.3 million mu of wheat are in the critical period of ear grouting. Su Lihong, director of the Yuncheng Agriculture and Rural Bureau, introduced that since mid-March, there has been basically no effective rainfall in the city. In addition, high temperatures and strong winds have occurred many times during this period, and soil moisture loss has intensified, which has had an adverse impact on summer grain production.

  Zhai Jianqing, a senior researcher at the Meteorological Disaster Risk Management Office of the National Climate Center, introduced that due to the drought, the growth of wheat fields with insufficient irrigation conditions in Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Gansu is deviated. At present, wheat in most areas is in the flowering to grouting period, and some wheat without irrigation conditions are hindered. The transplantation progress of some rice in Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and other places is slower than last year, and some dry crops such as spring corn and peanuts have been sown, and there are shortages of seedlings or short seedlings.

  Take multiple measures to resist drought and stabilize production

  In order to effectively respond to drought conditions, localities have launched drought-resistant emergency responses and formed a joint force to maximize supply and irrigation protection, reduce disaster losses, and ensure stable and bumper agricultural production and harvest.

  Quick response, multi-level linkage—

  In Wuxuan County, which suffers severe drought in Guangxi, the local area implements a three-level linkage responsibility mechanism at the county, township and village levels, and the whole county works together to fight drought. Yuncheng City, Shanxi, has joined hands with meteorological, water affairs, emergency response and other departments to strengthen communication and consultation, closely monitor weather changes, timely release agricultural meteorological disaster warnings and forecasts, and do their best to ensure drought resistance services.

　　Party members and cadres from Tunying Village, Dongxiang Town, Wuxuan County, Guangxi work with the masses to build canals to fight drought. (Photo by Lei Zhengxiao)

  Strengthen the coordination to "quench thirst" in drought areas--

  Affected by the persistent meteorological drought, the water levels of the Yangtze River and the Zhenjiang section of the Grand Canal have dropped significantly compared with the same period in previous years. Starting from May 5, the Jianbi Pumping Station in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province started four units to replenish water to the Grand Canal, with an average daily water replenishment volume of 9 million cubic meters. Xu Fuxiang, deputy director of the Pumping Station Management Office, introduced that the startup is the first time in the past decade that drought-resistant and water replenishment operations were launched in May, nearly two months ahead of the regular drainage season.

  The Shaanxi Provincial Water Conservancy Department has implemented water volume scheduling scientifically and coordinated the Ministry of Water Resources Yellow River Water Conservancy Committee to promptly approve the increase of Shaanxi's drought-resistant water indicators of 143 million cubic meters to solve problems such as water shortage and irrigation difficulties in irrigation areas.

　　The Party Member Service Team of the State Grid Pingli County Power Supply Company in Shaanxi Province helped farmers debug pumps in Qiuhe Village, Pingli County, Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Chen Siyuan)

  Adapt to local conditions and help technology-

  The agricultural department of Wuxuan County, Guangxi Province sent agricultural technical experts to guide farmers to adopt various methods such as early rice seedling sowing and live streaming in dry land according to local conditions, and to carry out spring planting work during the farming season. The agricultural technology department of Wen County, Henan Province guides farmers to carry out "one spray and three preventions" and drought-resistant irrigation to protect the wheat harvest.

  According to the relevant person in charge of the Shanxi Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, for dryland wheat with advanced breeding period, agricultural technicians guide farmers to harvest early in time and in a timely manner, and resume sowing crops with short breeding periods according to the situation, so as to achieve full sowing and strive to expand the area and increase the yield.

  Make every effort to prevent, reduce and ensure summer harvest

  According to the short-term forecast of the Central Meteorological Observatory and the extension period of the National Climate Center, the drought in Guangxi will gradually slow down in the near future, but meteorological drought in Shaanxi, Henan, Jiangsu and other places will continue.

  The reporter learned from the interview that all localities and departments are timely evaluating the development trends and impacts of drought, comprehensively carrying out disaster prevention and mitigation, and ensuring summer grain production.

  The agricultural department of Shanxi Province mobilized wheat industry technical experts and grassroots agricultural technicians from all over the province to go deep into the fields to check seedling conditions and soil moisture conditions, formulated a refined technical plan for drought-resistant field management, and promoted the implementation of technical measures to households and fields. At the same time, farmers are guided to timely cultivate, hoe and maintain moisture, spray regulators to enhance the plant's drought resistance, and help growers solve drought resistance problems.

  Drought resistance depends on the sky, and it requires precise response. Shaanxi Province closely monitors the drought dynamics, and in accordance with the requirements of "precise scope, precise objects, precise time periods, and precise measures", dynamically tracks the changes in reservoir water storage, soil moisture conditions and water demand, dynamically optimizes the water distribution plan, and ensures water safety. At the same time, the agricultural department organized farmers to sow seeds while taking advantage of the moisture, carried out "replenishing summer with autumn", minimize disaster losses, and strive to increase grain yield.

  Anhui Province closely monitors the development of drought, strengthens monitoring and analysis of rain, water conditions, soil moisture conditions and water storage, and tries every means to increase effective water sources; Henan Province's finance has allocated 50 million yuan to support local governments in rapid development of drought resistance, irrigation, grain and stable production... All localities actively carry out disaster prevention and reduction work to reduce the impact of drought.

  Wang Wei, director of the Drought Resistance Department of the Water and Drought Disaster Prevention Department of the Ministry of Water Resources, said that the water conservancy department will continue to strengthen monitoring and forecasting, formulate and improve water supply guarantee plans, scientifically and accurately dispatch key water projects in relevant river basins, and make every effort to ensure the safety of urban and rural water supply in arid areas and the drought-resistant water demand in the main wheat production areas in northern China.

[Editor in charge: Wang Di]