MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
The media are invited to interview representatives of a delegation of Chinese officials visiting regional areas in Victoria and NSW from February 24-March 5, 1999 as part of a study tour to learn from Australia's regional water management practices. Officials from the Tarim Basin Commission in Xinjiang, North-west China will visit a number of dams, basins, and water management sites and will meet officials from the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, NSW Murray Water and Goulburn-Murray Water Office to learn from Australia's expertise in river basin planning, and implementing land irrigation and water management plans.
The Tarim Basin is an area of about 5 per cent of the total area of China, supporting 5 million people, 80% of which are from poor ethnic minorities such as the Uighurs. The project is intended to increase the incomes of these poor minority farmers through sustainable irrigated agriculture development, the management of water in the Tarim Basin and the partial restoration of forests and pastures in the lower reaches of the Tarim River.
Australia has contributed over $3 million to this project for the provision of expertise to assist the Chinese authorities. The total funding for the project is $300 million, half of which is being provided by the Chinese Government. The project, which is being implemented by the World Bank will assist China to manage its limited water resources on which China's large population of 1.2 billion is dependent.
The tour of rural NSW and Victoria will play a significant role in the delivery of this development assistance to rural China which includes imparting expertise on river basin planning, water sharing, the reclamation of saline land, the reversal of dieback, irrigation, drainage and pest management.
The project is part of AusAID's poverty alleviation assistance to China which aims to improve the livelihood of 265 million people in China who still exist below the US $1 per day poverty line.
Photo opportunities:
February 28 Albury City Council waste management and nutrient reduction site, Albury
March 1 Murray Water Office, Wakool Evaporative Basin, Deniliquin, NSW
March 2 Kerang Lakes, Kerang, Surface drainage works, Shepparton, Victoria
March 3 Goulburn-Murray Water, Tatura, Victoria
For further information on site visits:
Kirsten Hawke, (AusAID) 02 6206 4971