Rural Women Learn Modern Irrigation Technology in China

Women at a modern irrigation technology training hosted by UN Women in Qingtongxia, China (Photo credit: UN Women/Hong Gao).

The conference room of the activity centre at Kuaiqiao Village was packed when professors from China Agricultural University and China Irrigation and Drainage Development Centre were conducting a training course.  Yet those listening attentively were not university students.  Instead, 62 out of a total of 70 trainees were female farmers from Kuaiqiao Village.  The course was held as part of the UN Women project, “Improving Gender Equality in Qingtongxia, China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, through Women’s Empowerment in Water Management.”
Since the inception of the project in April, 156 rural women have been trained.Kuaiqiao Village is located in Qingtongxia, one of the oldest and most important irrigated districts in Ningxia.  The area has a typical continental climate, with average annual precipitation of only 192mm and an evaporation volume of over 1600mm in contrast.  Irrigation in this region depends on the Qingtongxia Reservoir, which gets its water supply from the Yellow River.  Due to climate change, the water flow of the Yellow River has become uneven, which results either in floods or in droughts. If the region faces water scarcity during irrigation seasons, the productivity of the crops is directly impacted.
At the same time, many men in the district have left their villages to seek job opportunities in big cities, leaving behind their wives, children and old parents.  As a result, in addition to their traditional responsibilities, women have had to take on farming. However, because of the deeply entrenched perceptions on a gender-based division of labour, they are typically excluded from decision-making.  Due to women’s new responsibility in agriculture, this exclusion has made them more vulnerable to climate change.
UN Women has designed the current project to address this problem, keeping in mind that women can be a driving force to mitigate and adapt to climate change.  The project is funded by AusAID and is aimed at empowering rural women in Qingtongxia by equipping them with internationally advanced irrigation technology from Australia and enhancing their role in water management.
Female farmers, as primary users, have been trained to become familiar with the use, management and maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure – knowledge that empowers them and ensures the sustainable and effective use of irrigation water.
To raise villagers’ understanding of gender equality and the importance of women’s participation, a local farmers’ cultural troupe staged drama performances and cartoon brochures were distributed. In addition, training sessions and advocacy workshops were also conducted for provincial and local officials so that they can incorporate a gender perspective in their decision-making processes.