Abstract
Crop and livestock production are essential to maintain food security. In China, crop and livestock production were integrated in the past. Today, small backyard systems are still integrated but the larger livestock farms are landless and largely geographically separated from crop production systems. As a result, there is less recycling of animal manures and there are lower nutrient use efficiencies in the Chinese food production systems. This, in turn, results in considerable losses of nutrients, causing water pollution and harmful algal blooms in Chinese lakes, rivers and seas. To turn the tide, there is a need for agricultural green development for food production through reintegrating crop and livestock production. An additional wish is to turn the Chinese water systems blue to secure clean water for current and future generations. In this paper, current knowledge is summarized to identify promising interventions for reintegrating crop and livestock production toward clean water. Technical, social, economic, policy and environmental interventions are addressed and examples are given. The paper highlights recommended next steps to achieve green agriculture and blue water in China.
Highlights
In China, crop and livestock production were integrated in the past
There is a need for agricultural “green” development for food production through reintegrating crop and livestock production
In China, the most populous country in the world, food production is of crucial importance to maintain national food security
Summary
In China, the most populous country in the world, food production is of crucial importance to maintain national food security. In 2018, the National Academy of Agriculture Green Development and the International School of Agriculture Green Development were established[1] They seek innovative and smart solutions toward the sustainable transition of Chinese agriculture for current and future generations. We identify potential interventions for “green” agriculture and “blue” water in China, with a focus on reintegrating crop and animal production. This will help to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 “Food production” and 6 “Sanitation and clean water”[20]. We identify and describe interventions for reintegrating crop and livestock production toward clean water (Section 3). We provide recommendations to achieve “green” agriculture and “blue” water in China
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