Severe Winter Drought in the Northern Winter Wheat Region of China —— General Mobilization of Drought Relief
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, since planting in autumn and winter last year, governments at all levels and agricultural departments have attached great importance to grain and oil production this summer, insisted on early deployment, meticulous organization, scientific guidance and enhanced services, and achieved a steady increase in wheat area, an increase of more than 8 million mu in rapeseed area, and a good foundation for seedling situation before winter. However, since the end of October last year, the precipitation in the northern wheat area has been obviously less, and the drought has continued to develop. In addition, several strong cooling processes have occurred in succession, and drought and freezing have seriously affected the safe overwintering and normal development of wheat. The duration, range and severity of the drought are rare in history, showing several characteristics: First, continuous drought in autumn and winter. Second, the drought-affected area is large. Third, the degree of drought is heavy. The fourth is the superposition of drought and freezing. Fifth, there may be drought in winter and spring.
The drought continues, and Anhui issued a red warning for drought (photo by Xinhua News Agency)
Fighting drought and protecting seedlings in Huaibei area of Anhui Province (photo by Xinhua News Agency)
There was no snow last winter, especially when water resources were precious. A winter drought with a wide range, long duration and large drought-affected area is ravaging the northern winter wheat area.
More than 100 million mu of winter wheat is looking forward to rain.
According to the statistics of the National Defense General Administration, as of February 1st, the drought-affected area in the northern winter wheat area totaled 137 million mu, and by February 3rd, the drought-affected area had grown to 139 million mu, with 41.02 million mu of severe drought. In addition, 3.93 million people and 1.94 million large livestock had difficulty drinking water due to drought, and the drought-affected area of crops in China was 146 million mu, 43.12 million mu more than the average in the same period of many years.
Chen Lei, deputy commander-in-chief of the National Defense General and Minister of Water Resources, said that since the beginning of winter, there has been a serious lack of rain and snow in most parts of China, and the water from major rivers in the northern region has been continuously dry, and the water storage of water conservancy projects is obviously insufficient, which has caused the main winter wheat producing areas in northern China to suffer this severe winter drought.
According to the analysis of the National Defense General Conference, the current drought in the northern winter wheat area presents four characteristics: First, the precipitation is seriously less and the temperature is higher. Since last winter, there has been no effective precipitation in North China, Huanghuai and other places for more than 80 consecutive days. The precipitation is 70% to 90% less than normal, and there is basically no precipitation in some areas.
Second, crops are affected by drought in a large area and with a heavy degree. At present, the drought-affected area of winter wheat areas in northern China is the largest in the same period in the past five years, with more than half of the drought-affected areas of wheat in Henan, Anhui and Shanxi provinces. At present, it is in the middle of winter, with the superposition of cold and drought and the coexistence of drought and freezing. In some areas, there is a large area of yellow seedlings, and some even have dry and dead seedlings.
Third, drinking water is difficult for people and livestock in some areas. Some people have long distances to haul water, long duration of water shortage and high cost of drought resistance, which have a great impact on daily life.
Fourth, the water from rivers continues to be dry, and the water storage of water conservancy projects is seriously insufficient.
According to the forecast of the meteorological department, the temperature in most parts of China is still high this spring, and the precipitation in most parts of Huanghuai and eastern North China is still low. There is a great possibility of a large-scale spring drought in the northern winter wheat area, and the drought-resistant situation is very severe.
The highest number of drought-resistant people in each province is 5.26 million.
The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attached great importance to drought resistance, seedling protection and summer grain production in winter wheat areas. The National Defense General and the Ministry of Water Resources have taken a series of measures since last winter to arrange and deploy drought relief work. In the face of severe drought, the National Defense General convened the Chamber of Commerce of Drought Relief Associations in seven provinces in the main winter wheat producing areas in the north, and launched a three-level emergency response to drought. The Ministry of Commerce and Finance arranged a 100 million yuan central extra-large drought relief subsidy, issued an urgent notice, and asked all localities in the dry areas to spare no effort to fight drought, protect seedlings and ensure spring ploughing, and sent four working groups to eight provinces to guide drought relief work.
According to the development of drought, on January 11th, the Yellow River Defense General upgraded the drought level to yellow warning, started the three-level response, scientifically dispatched, timely adjusted the water consumption index, and fully supported the drought relief in the basin.
Zhang Zhitong, executive deputy director of the National Defense General Office, said that according to incomplete statistics, since the end of December last year, the provinces in the northern winter wheat area have invested a maximum of 5.26 million people, started 750,000 electromechanical wells, 4,934 pumping stations and 711,000 sets of drought-resistant mobile equipment, with a total investment of 1.38 billion yuan, and completed drought-resistant irrigation area of 74.6 million mu. More than 5,000 county and township drought relief service teams are active in the fields every day, solving the drinking water difficulties of more than 500,000 people and 280,000 large livestock. (Reporter Zhao Yongping)
Chain connection
E Jingping, secretary-general of the National Defense General and vice minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, said that due to the influence of natural climate, there are different degrees of drought in China every year. The perennial drought-affected area of crops is about 300 million to 400 million mu, and the annual loss of grain is nearly 15.8 billion kilograms, accounting for 60% of the total loss of various natural disasters.
E Jingping said that on the one hand, agricultural production is dry and short of water, on the other hand, it wastes water seriously. At present, the utilization rate of irrigation water in China is only 45%, while that in developed countries is about 70%. At present, more than half of the cultivated land in the country has no water conservancy facilities, mainly relying on the weather to eat.
"To cope with drought, we need to change new ideas, change passive drought resistance into active drought resistance, and change from single drought resistance to comprehensive drought resistance." E Jingping said that comprehensive drought relief should pay attention to agricultural drought relief, and at the same time, do a good job in all-round drought relief work in urban life, production and ecology more scientifically and rationally, so as to realize rational development, optimal allocation and efficient utilization of water resources.
Editor: Wang Jiaolong