Hangzhou Regional Center(Asia-Pacific)for Small Hydro Power(HRC)

---As autumn settled over the Qiantang River and the fragrance of osmanthus filled the streets of Hangzhou, the Seminar on Irrigation District Construction and Management for Belt and Road Countries and the Seminar on Modernization and Sustainable Development of Large and Medium-sized Irrigation Districts for Asian Countries were successfully concluded in the city in September 2026. The two seminars were organized by the National Research Institute for Rural Electrification, MWR, P. R. China/Hangzhou Regional Center (Asia-Pacific) for Small Hydro Power (HRC), and co-organized by the China Irrigation and Drainage Development Center (CIDDC) and the Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CNCID), which marked HRC's 207th and 208th international training programs, respectively. A total of 65 government officials and technical experts from 13 countries—Armenia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Türkiye—gathered in Hangzhou for in-depth exchanges and study on irrigation district modernization, water-saving irrigation and digital irrigation district development.

At the opening ceremony, Ms. Shu Jing, Deputy Director General of HRC, extended a warm welcome to all participants. She emphasized that irrigation districts are fundamental to food security and sustainable agricultural development, and that modernizing large and medium-sized irrigation districts is an important means of addressing water scarcity and improving agricultural water use efficiency. She reaffirmed China's commitment to sharing its experience in irrigation development with Belt and Road countries and to deepening practical cooperation in water resources management and irrigated agriculture. Participant representatives also addressed the ceremony. Mr. Mohamad Rushdi Mohamad Mohamad, Advisor to the Secretary General and Director of the Central Region of Ministry of Water and Irrigation of Jordan/Jordan Valley Authority, and Ms. Navoda Rangani Wickramasena Rajamuni Dewage, Chief Engineer of Department of Irrigation of Sri Lanka, both expressed their strong interest in learning from China's experience in irrigation district modernization and advancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in water-related technologies.

During the seminars, senior experts and scholars in irrigation and drainage delivered a series of presentations covering agricultural water conservation and efficiency, water measurement and monitoring technologies for modern irrigation districts, the modernization of large irrigation districts, digital twins for irrigation districts, and comprehensive reform of agricultural water pricing, building a curriculum system integrating policy and theory, technologies and equipment, and practical case studies. HRC also held in-depth discussions with participant representatives from relevant countries on potential cooperation in joint research, engineering projects and other areas, laying a solid foundation for future technical collaboration. In the country report session, participants shared updates on the development of irrigation and drainage in their respective countries, outlined key challenges and exchanged views with Chinese experts on potential areas for cooperation.

The seminars combined presentations with study tours, allowing participants to explore China's experience in irrigation development and water management at first hand. In Hangzhou, they visited West Lake and Xixi National Wetland Park to learn how China puts the vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature into practice through ecological conservation and governance. They also visited Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park to explore the remains of ancient irrigation and water conservancy systems dating back approximately 5,000 years. Participants also travelled to Lu'an, Anhui Province, where they visited the Pi-Shi-Hang Irrigation District's operations and dispatch center, its digital twin platform, and key hydraulic structures, including aqueducts along the main canal system. These visits offered participants first-hand insight into the operation and maintenance of one of the largest irrigation districts developed since the founding of the People's Republic of China. They also provided an opportunity to observe the multiple benefits of large-scale irrigation infrastructure in flood control, irrigation, water supply and power generation.

At the closing ceremony, Mr. Xu Zhifeng, Director General of HRC, congratulated all participants on completing the seminars. He noted that, as climate change intensifies and food security challenges grow, the modernization and sustainable development of irrigation districts have become shared priorities for countries around the world. He described the seminars as a concrete action by China to actively align with the high-quality development needs of the Belt and Road cooperation and strengthen capacity-building in the irrigation sector across partner countries. China, he said, stands ready to deepen dialogue and cooperation with other countries on irrigation district modernization and to explore sustainable development pathways suited to their respective national conditions. Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mr. Irfan Ali, Director of Planning Department of Agricultural Research Council of Pakistan, thanked the Chinese organizers for their thoughtful arrangements. He said that China's experience in water-saving policies and digital twin irrigation district development was impressive and would help Pakistan further improve its water resources development strategy. Mr. Atbandit Souphalak, Deputy Director General of Department of Agriculture and Environment, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR, noted that the seminars had provided a valuable platform for sharing knowledge and experience while building bridges of friendship among participating countries. He expressed the hope that these connections would continue to grow stronger and support further cooperation.

Though mountains may separate us by thousands of miles, water connects us. Water resources are fundamental to people's livelihoods and development, and irrigation districts play a vital role in safeguarding food security. China and Belt and Road countries share common development goals and considerable potential for cooperation in food security, agricultural water use efficiency and irrigation district modernization. Looking ahead, HRC will continue to leverage its role as a platform for international cooperation and strengthen international capacity-building in water resources and hydropower. Through training, technical exchanges and project-based cooperation, HRC will work with partners around the world, under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative and South–South cooperation, to share China's experience and approaches in water governance and irrigation development. These efforts will contribute to global water governance, food security and sustainable development, while opening a new chapter in mutually beneficial international cooperation in the water sector. (2026-10-15)