Focused Sector(s): Water, Livelihood
Project: Provision of Safe Drinking Water and Livelihood
Date and duration: May 2009 / 6 months
Location: Yanggao County, Shanxi Province
Beneficiaries: 927 villagers from 330 households


Problem(s):

  • The residents of Kangyao village lived below the poverty line, with an average annual income of RMB795 (S$155)
  • Low precipitation, as well as a shortage of both surface and underground water, had led to insufficient irrigation, poor quality of the land being farmed and consequently, low agricultural output
  • The declining water table, meanwhile, meant a scarcity of drinking water

  • Intervention and Impact

    • Mercy Relief, working together with our Chinese project partners Shanxi Poverty Alleviation Bureau, developed and implemented a S$230,000 project to set up an effective crop irrigation system and a new potable water supply source.
    • Two 200m-deep wells – capable of delivering 50m3 of potable water per hour – were bored and connected to a 90m3 storage tank. Through a 14km-long system of water pipes, the tank delivers drinking water to all 330 households and pumps water to 95 irrigation outlets spread across 400,000m2 of farmland. The water sources have an estimated lifespan of 15 years, ensuring the long-term efficacy of this project. The reliable and abundant water supply also opens up the possibility of cattle and poultry farming
    • Several workshops were conducted by the local water and agriculture department during and after construction to train the villagers on the operation and maintenance of the new facility, to inculcate an element of community ownership, and to introduced high-yield crop types like apricot and walnut
    • Completed in October last year, the project is expected to boost income by an estimated RMB2,000 per capita per year

    Cost: S$228,000

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