A study looked at how well water is used to grow crops like wheat and maize in the North China Plain. They used a computer model to predict how climate and irrigation affect crop water productivity. Results showed that crop productivity varied across the region with wheat productivity decreasing from south to north due to less rain, while maize productivity had less variation. When both crops were under rain irrigation, wheat yield was lower in the drier north, and maize yield was similar across the region. Overall, crops were found to use water better with partial irrigation, aligning with their water needs. This study sheds light on how to grow crops more efficiently in this important agricultural region in China.