Why is irrigation important for agriculture in northern Shaanxi?

In northern Shaanxi, irrigation is essential for agriculture primarily because the region experiences a cold, dry climate that makes farming precarious. As part of the Inner Mongolia dry agricultural and pastoral zone, the northern plateau faces significant challenges, including a short growing season and limited annual precipitation—often as low as 10 inches (250 mm)—which frequently occurs when evaporation rates are at their maximum.12

Because the region is too cold for winter wheat, farmers rely on spring-sown wheat and millet as their main grain crops, both of which depend heavily on the availability of irrigation water to survive. To support these agricultural efforts, the province has significantly extended its irrigated farmland by constructing numerous wells and small dams. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to improve agricultural output in a region historically plagued by natural disaster and to mitigate the effects of severe, prolonged droughts.12