Combo photo shows people pedalling on a waterwheel for irrigation in Yancheng County in the 1950s (L, photo taken by Wei Dezhong), and a self-moving smart irrigator conducting irrigation in fields in Wangzhuang Town of Xunxian County on March 9, 2017 (aerial photo taken by Li An), in central China's Henan Province. Henan is an important province for agricultural production in China. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, especially during the 40-plus years of reform and opening-up, mechanized and hi-tech farming has helped improve the quality and efficiency of agricultural business there. To date, an increasing number of farmers there are embracing advanced agricultural equipment and management process, bidding farewell to traditional arduous means of agricultural operation. (Xinhua)
