Cargill and Poverty Alleviation Office complete Water-Saving Irrigation Project in Xinjiang
(July 5, 2011) The completion ceremony for the “Cargill Water-Saving Irrigation Program – Xinjiang Project ”, which is jointly operated by Cargill and the Chinese State Council 's Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, was today held in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region's Wensu County, which is part of Aksu Prefecture. Leaders from the State Council, the Xinjiang Poverty Alleviation Office, the local government, as well as representatives from Cargill, attended the ceremony.
The project will address the region's water shortages by using underground well water that is pumped through high-standard, low-pressure water pipes to irrigate a 495-mu (33 hectares) cotton field. Furthermore, water extraction that will lower underground water levels will also enable the project to tackle salinization issues in the area. The completion of the project will allow for greater mechanized farming, thus higher cotton production in the region, which will directly benefit 5,486 people from 1,097 households. This project demonstrates that environmental and supply chain responsibility remains a priority for Cargill and that Cargill is dedicated to promoting sustainable development in China through improving production and environmental conditions, especially in China's most remote areas.
''Cargill’s water-saving irrigation program perfectly ties with our many endeavors to alleviate poverty," said Liu Sheng’an, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Foreign Capital Investment Projects Management Center under the State Council's Poverty Alleviation Office. "At present, China faces an arduous task in terms of completing sound water resource infrastructure in rural areas. Recent extreme weather has highlighted the challenges that many Chinese rural areas face in terms of irrigation facilities. In response, a key government paper on agriculture this year has clearly stated that water resource infrastructure must be highly supported. In addition to the government’s huge investment, corporate sectors and individuals were also encouraged to participate in anti-drought infrastructure projects in rural areas. ”
Cargill's participation demonstrates that it is not only dedicated to providing the best service to its suppliers and customers, but that it is serious about corporate social responsibility. ''Irrigation facilities are a major part of Chinese rural construction. Cargill's aim of promoting water-saving irrigation projects is to help people in rural areas yield effective production on the basis of protecting the ecological environment, improving production methods, and increasing income,'' said Chris Williams, general manager of Cargill China's Cotton Department.
Since 2009, Cargill has worked separately with the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Council to bring the “Water-Saving Irrigation Program” to fruition. The program aims to help the least-developed rural areas that are also prone to drought achieve sustainable development by improving outdated irrigation facilities, implementing other water-saving processes, and providing training to farmers about irrigation and science-based production methods. Currently, Cargill’s plan is to establish projects in Henan, Sichuan and Xinjiang. The water-saving irrigation program aims to increase drought resistance, water-retaining capacity, water and land use efficiency and agricultural production of these areas as well as the income of rural residents.
###
About Cargill China
Cargill’s presence in China can be traced back to the early 1970's. Today, Cargill is proud to be an integral part of China with over 5,000 employees and 41 wholly-owned and joint-venture plants in China. As an experienced agriculture, food and risk management supplier, Cargill is in a unique position to contribute its global experience and expertise to China’s principal needs of raising the incomes of its rural population and developing its countryside. By bringing our global expertise and experience to improve efficiency and add value for food and agriculture products in China, we aim to promote sustainable agriculture and a secure grain and food supply for China. For more information, visit http://www.cargill.com.cn.