Authors: Yu Sheng and Siying Jia, Peking University
China has achieved significant progress in ensuring food security through institutional reforms, technological advancements, and increased investment in agricultural infrastructure. From 1978 to 2022, agricultural output grew at a rate of 4.5% per year, exceeding population growth by more than four times. In 2022, China experienced a historical high in grain output, reaching 686.53 million tonnes, thereby strengthening its domestic food supply.
However, China still faces challenges in ensuring long-term food security due to increasing demand for high-value and high-protein products, limited land and water supply, issues with small farms, an aging rural population, and extreme weather events caused by climate change. Recent studies have shown that extreme rainfall has led to an 8% decrease in China’s rice crop yields over the past two decades, exacerbating concerns about food insecurity caused by pest shocks, droughts, and rising carbon emissions.
To address the challenges posed by climate change, the Chinese government has implemented three sets of measures. These measures involve improving irrigation systems, agricultural and transportation infrastructure, and promoting the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties. The government has also invested in agricultural research and technological innovation, as well as strengthening the insurance system for agricultural production.
China has implemented public policies to transition towards a sustainable agricultural production system. In 2015, the strategy of ‘hiding grain in the ground and hiding grain in technology’ was introduced, focusing on capacity building rather than solely on output targets. Since implementing the ‘Action Plan for Zero-Growth in Fertilizer Use’ in 2015, the use of fertilizers and chemicals in agriculture has decreased by one third.
As part of its 14th Five Year Plan, China has launched a new initiative to increase domestic grain production by 50 million tonnes. This initiative includes measures to enhance farmers’ climate resilience, such as strengthening disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities, utilizing germplasm resources, implementing full-cost insurance for grain producers, and preventing non-agricultural use of arable land.
China is also considering diversifying its food sources by increasing imports of feed grains and oil crops. In 2022, China imported significant quantities of soybeans and maize to supplement its grain consumption. This strategy helps mitigate potential food shortages caused by climate-related disruptions and enhances domestic grain self-sufficiency.
Authors: Yu Sheng and Siying Jia, Peking University
Over the past four decades, China has made significant achievements in maintaining food security through institutional reforms, technological progress and increased investment in public agricultural infrastructure. Between 1978 and 2022, the total quantity of agricultural output grew at the rate of 4.5 per cent per year — more than four times the population growth over the same period. In 2022, China’s total grain output reached a historical high of 686.53 million tonnes, substantially boosting its domestic food supply.
But China still faces considerable challenges in ensuring food security, with demand for high-value and high-protein products increasing along with per capita income. Constraints in land and water supply, issues with small farms, an aging rural population and extreme weather events caused by climate change can disrupt food production and distribution. Recent studies show that extreme rainfall has led to an 8 per cent decrease in China’s rice crop yields over the past two decades, exacerbating food insecurity concerns caused by frequent pest shocks, severe droughts and rising carbon emissions.
To tackle the challenges arising from climate change, the Chinese government has implemented three sets of measures. These measures involve improving irrigation systems and other agricultural and transportation infrastructure. This includes initiatives such as channelling water from the south to the north and constructing high-standard farmland and water conservancy facilities. The government has also invested in agricultural research and technological innovation, promoting the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties. Additionally, efforts have been made to strengthen the insurance system for agricultural production.
China has instituted public policies to actively foster the transition towards a sustainable agricultural production system. In 2015, China introduced the strategy of ‘hiding grain in the ground and hiding grain in technology’, emphasising the importance of capacity building rather than solely focusing on output targets in grain production. Since implementing the ‘Action Plan for Zero-Growth in Fertilizer Use’ in 2015, the use of fertilisers and chemicals in agriculture has reduced by one third.
As part of its 14th Five Year Plan, China has launched a new initiative aimed at increasing domestic grain production by an additional 50 million tonnes. Several new policies have been implemented in conjunction with this campaign to enhance farmers’ climate resilience. These measures include strengthening disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities by adopting ICT technologies, better utilising germplasm resources, constructing seed banks, implementing full-cost insurance for grain producers in food-deficient counties and preventing the use of arable land for non-agriculture purposes.
China is also considering diversifying its food sources through increasing imports of feed grains and oil crops. In 2022, China imported 91 million tonnes of soybean and 20.6 million tonnes of maize, which accounted for about 14 per cent of its total grain consumption. While this campaign helps mitigate potential food shortages caused by climate-related disruptions in the short run by bolstering domestic grain self-sufficiency, the long-term effects of these…
