And you though flatland farming was bad! This is a farily typical "farm" along the banks of the river. Obviously all hand-tilled and serviced. The soil is very rich, and grows excellent crops, but the labor to accomplish a harvest is huge. There are certainly better farms along the river, but there are also those with even steeper and narrower areas under tillage.

This is one thing that the rising water will certainly affect in a very negative way. the richer soil in the province is that right along the river; the alternatives up the sides of the canyons have much less robust and rich soil and will provide poorer crops for the same labor input.

Such acts as this do not help China, which is a net importer of food for annual consumption. The policies for farming restrict leasing (no ownership) of land to a few acres maximum. No economies of scale for higher productivity.