HEFEI — Authorities treated 3,182 square km of eroded soil in East China's Anhui province during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).

The area affected by soil erosion dropped by 408.13 square km last year, down by 3.3 percent compared with 2015, according to data from the Anhui provincial department of water resources.

The decrease was partly attributed to the stepped-up construction of the country's key soil and water conservation projects. The water conservancy development fund investment from the central government reached 960 million yuan (about $148.7 million) over the past five years, accounting for 48 percent of the province's total investment in the respect.

Anhui plans to tackle soil erosion in an area of 530 square km this year, said local authorities.