{"id":33797,"date":"2016-04-05T13:09:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T13:09:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-10-20T10:43:39","modified_gmt":"2020-10-20T10:43:39","slug":"8797-nurturing-the-shoots-of-china-s-sustainable-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/food\/8797-nurturing-the-shoots-of-china-s-sustainable-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"Nurturing the shoots of China’s sustainable agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chinese agriculture currently faces major environmental challenges, including overuse of fertilisers and pesticides, soil erosion, soil pollution<\/a>, water scarcity and the loss of agricultural biodiversity. Food safety is also a source of great public anxiety \u2013 driven by a series of well-publicised incidents<\/a> such as the 2008 milk-melamine<\/a> scandal.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, there is a growing interest in sustainable food production in China. We have been working with Chinese researchers to explore this and have identified valuable lessons for China and the rest of the world.<\/p>\n

China’s agricultural practices<\/a> have important global ramifications. China is among the world’s top importers and exporters of agricultural goods. Imports of commodities such as soy and corn have become an increasingly important driver of global agricultural production and trade.<\/p>\n

A shift towards more sustainable production methods would benefit China’s environment and\u00a0public health within China and beyond, as well as agricultural productivity in the long term.<\/p>\n

It could also have positive ramifications for the global environment \u2013 particularly if it reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the food system.<\/p>\n

The growth of sustainable farming<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a small but growing trend towards sustainable food production and consumption in China, as shown by the rise in farms using environmentally friendly methods, organic farmers’\u00a0markets in major cities, and an increasing emphasis on sustainability in Chinese policies related to agriculture.<\/p>\n

For instance, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) \u2013 a relatively recent arrival in China \u2013 is growing rapidly,\u00a0with over 300 CSA farms scattered throughout the country. Agribusiness\u00a0focused on organic and green foods are increasingly common.<\/p>\n

This trend is being driven by burgeoning demand for ‘safe’ and healthy food, which is reflected in the rising market share of organic and ‘green’ products, both from domestic and imported sources.<\/p>\n

This emergence of sustainable agriculture is captured in ‘Multiple pathways: case studies of sustainable agriculture in China<\/a>‘. A collaboration between researchers from the China Agricultural University, the Chinese Centre for Agricultural Policy, and International Institute for Environment and Development\u00a0<\/em>(IIED), it draws out some key lessons and recommendations of wider relevance both for China and other developing countries through a series of case studies from seven provinces.<\/p>\n

The report<\/a> was launched at a recent workshop in Beijing,\u00a0which brought together 50 practitioners, researchers, academics, government officials, donors and NGO personnel to discuss issues arising in the development of sustainable agriculture and how to address them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Panel discussions covered key topics from the report such as the role of cooperatives, the efficacy of sustainability certification and who will till the land in the future.<\/p>\n

A desk-based study also explores the historical evolution of agriculture in China with a focus on sustainability \u2013 economic, environmental and social. It asks how China’s modern development is affecting the sustainability of farming and the rural environment, and looks in detail at the influence of policies and measures to transform agricultural production systems in more sustainable ways.<\/p>\n

Lessons from China’s experience<\/strong><\/p>\n

China can be seen as a laboratory for development in many respects. Its agricultural experience, which includes different scales of production, different technologies and different types of agricultural model is relevant for other countries and contexts.<\/p>\n

The lessons emerging from IIED’s research with Chinese scholars provide insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers into how sustainable agricultural techniques\u00a0can be better supported, both in China and elsewhere:<\/p>\n