Farmers of Jungar Banner, in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,
have found their lives improved gradually by a World Bank-funded program
designed to improve local environment and help them get ride of poverty.
The first phase of the World Bank-loaned project started in 1994
and was completed in 2001. More than 88 million yuan (US$10.6 million) were used
to harness 282 sq km of sandy waste land, according to Lu Jikuan, an official in
charge of the implementation of the World Bank program.
With local environment being improved, the per capita acreage
of irrigated farmland in Jungar Banner had risen from former less than 0.067 hectares
to 0.2 hectares by 2001. Per capita income increased by 1,200 yuan (US$145),
according to Lu.
The World Bank-funded water and soil conservation project covers 37 banners
and counties in four western China's provinces and autonomous regions including
Inner Mongolia and Gansu Province.
The second phase project, with a total investment of 50 million
yuan (US$6.05 million) is expected to be completed before the end of the year. At
present, more than 20 water conservancy projects have constructed in the project
areas.
Improved infrastructure facilities enable local farmers to readjust their
industrial structure, by which they can explore more ways to increase income.
In Dalu Township of Jungar Banner, more than 6,000 people used World Bank
loans to plant trees and grass, build dams, develop irrigated farmland and breed
aquatics.
Among these people, farmers of Dagou village used World Bank loans
to dig wells and build shelters for growing vegetables. By so doing, their
per capita income increased by more than 1,000 yuan (US$120) on a yearly basis.
