This program directly benefits more than 400 million people living in these areas.

The areas produce one third of the total agricultural output value of the whole country, and account for a quarter of the total water consumption.

Vice Minister of Water Resources Zhai Haohui says the water utilization ratio in the irrigated areas in China is still low compared with developing countries, so there's a lot of room left for improvement.

(People’s Daily August 1, 2003)