Can China Feed Itself?

Abstract

This article posits that Chinas demand for food can be met by policy changes that would allow farmers to increase their output per hectare develop unused land for crop production and slow or stop destruction of existing farmland. The government operates under the Household Responsibility System which was established in the late 1970s. The authors visited farmers throughout China during 1987-96 and asked farmers about current farming policy and about their suggestions for increasing output. Small farmers liked the Household Responsibility System and appeared to have an improved standard of living. Crop output was increased by careful weeding better seed carefully applied fertilizer and carefully timed sowing transplanting irrigating and harvesting. Future expansion of output would require extensive investments in irrigation land drainage systems land terracing and leveling and soil upgrades. Much current farmland is less productive due to poor land quality and insufficient irrigation. Although farmers trust that crop yields could double or triple with investment many are fearful of losing control of their land before the return on their investment is obtained. Landholdings may be lost due to the collective reallocation of plots every 3-6 years by giving larger shares to larger household and due to government seizure for nonagricultural purposes. Farmers favor a redistribution based on voluntary sale of land and purchase of perpetual-use rights. Over 80% of farmers interviewed indicated a willingness to invest if permanent access to the land were assured. The government is experimenting in Shanxi province with permanent land use access and 17 other provinces are moving in similar directions. The proposed government pilot projects would extend land-use rights for 75 years for existing farmland and 100 years for usable wasteland. Chinas policy in 1995 extended land rights and changed reallocation practices.