How did tube-well irrigation expand farming in Hebei?

The widespread introduction of tube-well irrigation in the late 1960s and early 1970s was a transformative development for agriculture in Hebei province. By enabling the extraction of groundwater, this technology significantly expanded the province's irrigated acreage, helping Hebei become one of the leading regions in China for grain and cotton production.1

While the province has historically relied on various water control measures—such as dams, reservoirs, and flood-retention basins—to manage its river systems and reclaim alkaline soil, tube-well irrigation provided a more localized and reliable water source for crops. This advancement supported the intensive farming practices common in the region, where farmers typically produce three crops every two years, including staples like wheat, corn, millet, and kaoliang.21