Food nutrition and food security of China in a new development phase

Abstract

Food security is a problem that requires strategic, scientific and comprehensive solutions, and has great significance for national security and the wellbeing of the people. As China’s socio-economic development and modernization enter a new historic phase, its food security is faced with new challenges and risks. Managing these challenges and risks will be of vital importance for the country and its people in order to ensure appropriate food production, supply and consumption. This study begins with the various aspects of food provision and consumption, analyzes the major changes in nutrition and food demand and provision under current conditions, presents the resource and environmental risks as well as their correlations with food security, and proposes a comprehensive strategy and policy suggestions for the future. The authors consider that nutrition and food security remain the top priority of the issues relating to agriculture, rural areas, and rural people, and propose that the agricultural development of the nation is in a critical stage of improving both food quality and production efficiency in the backdrop of practicing a Rural Vitalization Strategy and building a Modern Socialist China. Six approaches are raised by the authors to address these issues, i.e., (1) Establish a new perception of food security; (2) Comprehensively reconcile the conflicts between market and government by applying less restriction to the market; (3) Balance domestic and international markets, and make better use of international market goods; (4) Lower the production costs in the country; (5) Promote green development, and urge that agricultural production follow the natural law; (6) Explore a new agricultural development paradigm, and inspire new momentum for rural growth. The authors further insist that the current agricultural production policies need to be scrutinized to comply with the current status of the urbanization process, aging society and agricultural modernization trends, and in order to be coherent with the national strategy in this new stage. As a consequence, it is critical that each and every part of the food security system and policy framework is lifted up to this optimal level in order to bring the market fully into play, and that the domestic and international resources and markets are well considered and utilized under the Belt and Road Initiative. All efforts combined must be dedicated to transform the agricultural sector, to build a green, open, inclusive, and sustainable food security system, and to achieve national food security and the green development of China.