In the water-scarce northwest hinterland, a efficiency revolution concerning water resources is quietly reshaping the land. Gansu has comprehensively implemented deep water conservation and control actions in the Yellow River Basin in recent years, treating water resources as the greatest rigid constraint. Under this concept's guidance, local awareness of water conservation, cherishing water, and loving water has been further enhanced.
Data shows that in 2024, Gansu Province's total water consumption was 11.727 billion cubic meters, remaining stable within the national "14th Five-Year Plan" control target for consecutive years. Supporting this achievement is a profound "water efficiency revolution" reaching into agricultural foundations and industrial lifelines.
On the southern mountains in the suburbs of Maiji District, Tianshui City, apple trees covering the mountainsides come into view, with winding rugged roads and the fresh fragrance of fruit trees and herbs permeating the mountain fields. "You may have never been to Tianshui, but you've definitely eaten Huaniu apples!" This popular internet phrase demonstrates the popularity of Huaniu apples.
Wu Zhengquan is a local large-scale apple grower. Recalling the hardships when he first started, he expressed deep emotion: "When I first went up the mountain to plant apples in 2002, the area was crisscrossed with ravines, the land was barren, and the yield was pitifully low. Later, the government built terraces, planted forests, and added pumping stations. The mountain environment kept improving, and apple production soared."
Today, the mountain orchards have "technology stewards": digital monitoring systems control soil moisture and temperature-humidity in real time, while drip irrigation facilities precisely deliver water and nutrients to each fruit tree. Rural revitalization hinges on industry, and in arid regions, having water means having all possibilities.
Through ecological protection and restoration measures such as building new terraces, creating water conservation forests, and constructing lift irrigation projects, the Nanshan Huaniu Apple Base has achieved "water doesn't flow down the mountain, soil doesn't leave the gullies," producing 220,000 tons of apples annually with an output value exceeding 800 million yuan, benefiting over 40,000 people across 25 villages in 3 townships.
The exemplar of water-saving agriculture also appears in the greenhouses of Lanzhou New Area Modern Agriculture Demonstration Park. Water-fertilizer irrigation systems and automatic supplemental lighting equipment provide precise control, allowing roses to bloom year-round in optimal environments. As a high-efficiency water-saving benchmark project, the park has introduced high-quality fertilization machines and drip emitters, combined with a 50-ton water purification system, forming a precision irrigation closed loop.
"We customize exclusive irrigation formulas for roses, with water and fertilizer utilization rates exceeding 90%, saving over 30% water compared to traditional flood irrigation," said Wang Fengjun, Chairman of the Labor Union at Lanzhou New Area Modern Agriculture Investment Group Co., Ltd. Under the support of water-saving technology, the park produces nearly 100 million cut roses annually with an annual output value of approximately 200 million yuan, with products exported overseas.
By using the "water efficiency revolution" to solve water scarcity challenges, the development pulse of Longyuan land beats vigorously through water conservation and efficiency enhancement.