The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and the Netherlands began to implement the cooperative project on December 2 to promote the comprehensive development and application of rural recovered energy in China??s west.

Rural energy management and promotion staff from 12 provinces and autonomous regions are attending a training class for project management and rural energy development policy.

As China??s rural economy develops, the development and application of rural recovered energy has got growing attention. The rural household-based application of marsh gas, solar, wind and water power has become one of the important means to increase peasants?? incomes and help them get rid of poverty.

Under the auspices of the ministries of commerce and agriculture, the project agreement was signed with the Netherlands on January 9, 2003 and will last for four years.

It aims to popularize and apply advanced recovered energy technology and highly energy-efficient products in Gansu, Sichuan, the poverty-stricken area in Wuling and 14 poverty-stricken villages in seven counties in the Honghu area. It hopes to improve the structure of energy use in daily life and raise the living quality of farmers.

(CENEWS 2003-12-09)