<strong>China: Ministry of Water Resources and STMA Cooperates on Water Conservancy</strong>

Source from:  tobacco.gov.cn 03/27/2014

On March 18th, Ministry of Water Resources and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration jointly signed the strengthening the construction of tobacco fields water conservancy cooperation memorandum. Minister of water resources Chen lei, director of STMA Ling Chengxing attended the signing ceremony and delivered a speech, deputy minister of water resources Jiao Yong and deputy director of STMA Zhao Hongshun on behalf of the two sides signed the memorandum of cooperation, and chief planner of water resources Zhou Xuewen, and chief engineer Wang Hong attended the signing ceremony.

Chen lei said that over the years, the tobacco industry seriously implemented requirements by central government, vigorously supported the water conservancy construction in tobacco planting zones. From 2005 to 2013, tobacco industry invested more than 37 billion yuan on the construction of water facilities, and befitted more than 25.33 million hectares tobacco fields, greatly improved the production and living conditions of tobacco planting areas, and made a great contribution to tobacco farmers.

Ling Chengxing said that the memorandum of cooperation is a further step to accelerate standardized of water conservancy construction in tobacco planting zones. STMA has arranged 14 billion yuan in 2014 and 2015 to build water conservancy construction in tobacco planting zones, most of the money will be invested on building small reservoirs and water diversion projects, and other fields of water conservancy facilities, gradually form a comprehensive water system.

Ling Chengxing hopes both sides can further close cooperation on planning, project layout, project construction, operation management, technical services, resource protection, policy coordination, etc, and can promote the building of water conservancy in tobacco planting ares, and improve the allocation ability, efficiency and ecological benefits of water resources, guarantee tobacco production stability, promote tobacco farmers' income growth, built the first workshop of tobacco industry, and make new contribution to the development of high-quality leaf tobacco base units.

According to the memorandum of cooperation, water conservancy and tobacco sector will strengthen cooperation on major projects planning and coordination, step up the proposal stage of key projects, increase investment, strengthen the technical cooperation and exchange of information, strengthen management and maintain of the construction of water conservancy project and coordination on flood control and drought relief. Enditem