Deepening the comprehensive reform of agricultural water pricing to promote modern irrigation district development is a key measure for implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on promoting the high-quality development of large and medium-sized irrigation districts and safeguarding national food and water security. Taking the Liyang Plain Irrigation District and Changsha County in Hunan Province

which were selected as part of the second batch of national pilot programs for this reform

as case studies

this paper systematically reviews their reform measures and implementation outcomes in accordance with the principle of “three benefits and one overall non-increase”. The results indicate that:( 1) engineering measures such as replacing open canals with pipeline conveyance systems can effectively improve agricultural water conservation and intensive water use in water-abundant regions;( 2) establishing diversified financing mechanisms for operation and maintenance

introducing market-oriented operation and maintenance services

and developing digital irrigation districts help establish a sustainable long-term management mechanism;( 3) coordinating agricultural and water conservancy projects while expanding revenue from the trading of newly created cultivated land quotas and grain production capacity enhancement quotas helps attract social capital to participate in the construction and operation of irrigation districts; and( 4) implementing targeted subsidies and water-saving incentives

together with pipeline irrigation systems that improve overall benefits

can ensure that the overall financial burden on grain-growing farmers does not increase. Based on these findings

corresponding policy recommendations are proposed to provide practical references for deepening the comprehensive reform of agricultural water pricing to promote modern irrigation district development in major grain-producing areas with relatively abundant water resources.