Chinese Food Security Research Articles

Changes in production potentials of rapeseed in the Yangtze River Basin of China under climate change: A multi-model ensemble approach

Rapeseed is one of the major oil crops in China and it is very sensitive to climate change. The Yangtze River Basin is the main rapeseed production area in China. Therefore, a better understanding of the impact of climate change on rapeseed production in the basin is of both scientific and practical importance to Chinese oil industry and food security. In this study, based on climate data from 5 General Circulation Models (GCMs) with 4 representative concentration pathways (RCPs) in 2011–2040 (2020s), 2041–2070 (2050s) and 2071–2100 (2080s), we assessed the changes in rapeseed production potential between the baseline climatology of 1981–2010 and the future climatology of the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s, respectively. The key modelling tool – the AEZ model – was updated and validated based on the observation records of 10 representative sites in the basin. Our simulations revealed that: (1) the uncertainty of the impact of climate change on rapeseed production increases with time; (2) in the middle of this century (2050s), total rapeseed production would increase significantly; (3) the average production potential increase in the 2050s for the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin is 0.939, 1.639 and 0.339 million tons respectively; (4) areas showing most significant increases in production include southern Shaanxi, central and eastern Hubei, northern Hunan, central Anhui and eastern Jiangsu.

Current status and challenges for potato chemical fertilizer & pesticide reductions in China

Under the pressures from growing population, arable land diminishment, yield limitation of major grain crops, global climatic change, etc, there is a latent crisis in Chinese food security. Potato, as the fourth major crop, plays a vital role in alleviating food problem considering its great nutritive value, high yield and adaptability. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides (CFPs) are implicated in ensuring stable and high yields of potato. Therefore, CFPs were intensively used for boosting up the yield; however, the use intensity of CFPs exceeds the international recognized standard, resulting in negative impacts on environment quality, agri-ecosystem, land productivity and tuber production cost. Consequently, those obstacles mentioned above jeopardized the sustainability of potato industry. In order to solve the dilemma, this article focuses on the analysis of the major reasons for abuse of CFPs, and further identified that the excessive consumption could be attributed to high application intensity, low utilization efficiency and lack of scientific application methods. Furthermore, this article introduces the technological advances and future trends in chemical fertilizer and pesticide reductions (CFPR) of developed countries. Based on the successful CFPR experiences abroad, the article also provides some development strategies for Chinese potato CFPR. (1) Promote legislation curbing application rate of potato CFPs. Several research projects were initiated to investigate the scientific standard of application amount for CFPs. Once the scientific standards were set, they could be gradually legislated into agricultural laws to stipulate the use of CFPs nationwide. (2) Promote the innovation on high-efficient application technology and encourage the use of green alternatives to chemical controls. Efforts on scientific research and education should be strengthen to speed up the innovation/application of advanced CFPR techniques. In addition, recognized reduction techniques abroad could be transferred to improve our application practices in pursuit of chemical contamination decreases. Some chemical fertilizers could be replaced by organic fertilizer, or they could be used in combination with organic fertilizers to enhance use efficiency. Chemical pesticides, to some extent, could be substituted by efficient, low toxicity/residue pesticides, and green prevention techniques could be employed to avoid pesticide abuse. (3) Promote the invention/improvement of intelligent agro-equipment with precision application capabilities. Unlike developed countries, the majority of Chinese potato production entities is still dispersible, small-scale, traditional family farms. Hence, modern fertilizer/pesticide machinery including deep fertilization and accurate spaying should be developed accordingly to meet specific needs of Chinese farmers. However, in the large-scale and intensive potato-growing area of north China, it is reasonable for the large potato enterprise and cooperatives to introduce advanced equipment and management system overseas. (4) Integration of multiple CR technologies to meet diverse regional needs. Combined with traditional reduction techniques such as soil testing, formulated fertilization, drip-fertigation and integrated pest-control, newly developed reduction technology could be integrated into regional “Potato Chemical Fertilizer and Pesticide Reduction” technique systems according to the diverse ecological, climatic and cultivating factors. Through demonstration zones and potato-grower trainings, popularization of reduction techniques would benefit the potato-growing farmers and cooperatives, which would significantly reduce the use of CFPs in China.

Wet markets, supermarkets and alternative food sources: consumers’ food access in Nanjing, China

ABSTRACTBased on a survey of 1,210 households in Nanjing, China, the article looks at the purchasing frequency of various food items in different food retail outlets, the accessibility of these outlets and the use of different food sources. We found that while supermarkets are the top venues for purchasing staple grains, dairy products and processed food, wet markets still prevail for purchasing fresh produce and meat. The data also depict the complexity of food sources beyond conventional retailing outlets. We recommend that Chinese food security policies be broadened to incorporate urban food environment considerations and diverse food sources.

Review and System Construction of Chinese Food Security in the New Era

Food is related to the national economy and people's livelihood. Food security is the ballast stone that maintains social stability and is an important foundation for national security. With the vigorous advancement of Chinese industrialization, urbanization, modernization, and informatization, Chinese food security and development are in trouble in the new era. There are ecological environmental pollution and declining quality of cultivated land, resource shortage and rigid growth of demand, insufficient subsidies and limited production scale and other issues. These problems will lead to a growing gap in grain supply and demand year by year, which to some extent restricts the sustainability of grain supply. At the same time, these problems have crowding out effect on grain scale production. Therefore, this paper analyzes the foothold, point of view, focus point and equilibrium point of Chinese food security strategy and grasp Chinese food security strategy from a macro perspective. On this basis, it makes a rational review of Chinese food security issues in the new era. A guarantee system is constructed based on the improvement of farmland protection system, the development of grain through science and education, the development of grain through ecology, use of two market resources, and increased subsidies, to ensure the long-term, stable and sustained security of Chinese grain.

Evaluation of Agricultural Ecological Security in Hubei Province

Abstract: With the promotion of agricultural ecological civilization construction in China, agricultural ecological security has received increasing attention. How to ensure agricultural ecological security has become a great concern for many scholars. As an important agricultural province in China, Hubei is of great significance to Chinese food security and agricultural sustainable development. This paper aims to establish an index system of agricultural ecological security and security classification of Hubei via Analytic Hierarchy Process and Pressure-State-Response methods. An evaluation of agricultural ecological security in Hubei, with a base of the national average value in 2015, reveals that the security degree has increased by 0.07566 from 0.90150 in 2005 to 0.97716 in 2015. Results show that agricultural ecological security in Hubei has improved but failed to reach the national average and there is still large space for improvement of the security level, considering a trend of deterioration in s...

Food Security, International Agricultural Trade, and Economic Growth in China

China, with the largest population in the world, has always been concerned about its food security. Recently, rapid economic growth in China has led to the disappearance of absolute hunger, but an increase in food consumption and environmental problems still threaten the maintenance of China’s food security. This study aims to analyze the effects of main factors on Chinese food security and investigates the inverted U-shaped relationship using the extended environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) on 1980-2013 time series data. The results found to be robust across different methods including vector autoregressive (VAR) model, impulse response function (IRF), and Granger causality test. The main findings of this study are (1) an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between Chinese food security and main factors (economic growth, agricultural trade, and CO2), (2) there is a positive impact of economic growth on food security but negative impact of agricultural trade and CO2 on food security with respect to the linear relationship, and (3) there is Granger causality between the main factors and food security. Based on the analysis, this study suggests that the Chinese government needs to continue investment in agriculture, environmental regulations, and the expansion of domestic agricultural production base to improve its food security.

State Capitalism and Chinese Food Security Governance

AbstractSince the financial crisis of 2008–9, how a state can play a more active role in correcting market failure has become a central topic in political economy. Thus, academia is again discussing state capitalism seriously. Contemporary state capitalism assumes state intervention in markets is becoming more multifaceted. Consequently, traditional state-owned enterprises exist alongside new government-favored actors, such as privately owned national champions and sovereign wealth funds, intervening in markets. This coalition helps the state achieve its security, political, economic, social, and nationalistic goals more efficiently. Its growing power in markets also heralds the return of state capitalism. This paper uses state capitalism theories to re-interpret China's food security governance. The three preliminary findings are as follows. First, China's food security governance is typically operated under state capitalism, which has successfully managed China's foodavailability, though not without some corruption, but has weakened its foodaccessibility. Second, using state capitalism to manage China's foodsafetyhas been impeded, so the effects remain to be seen. Third, state capitalism has successfully improved thestabilityof the food supply and demand in China, but its agricultural business branching-out strategy has worried the international community and should be observed further.

Subsidy or market reform? Rethinking China’s farm consolidation strategy

Chinese food security policy is anchored increasingly on the conviction that domestic grain production should be greatly enhanced, and the best way to do so is to expand farm production scale. To that end, an increasing stream of public investment has been directed to the grain sector, in the form for example of farm expansion subsidies. Our purpose is to assess the potential impacts of China’s farm-scale expansion on both yields and per-hectare economic returns. Analysis of a large sample of farm household production data finds (with some exceptions) that grain yields likely will decline as farm size grows, compromising food self-sufficiency targets. More importantly, in only isolated cases would per-hectare economic returns decline with size. Thus, an emphasis on reducing farmland transactions costs may stimulate cropland consolidation and achieve the desired long-term structural transformation.

Research on the Behavior Evaluation for Social Responsibility of Food Corporation in China Based on Consumer Response

This paper introduces the general situation of food security and social responsibility of the enterprise, based on the analysis of Chinese food safety problems. Our country Food Enterprise society responsibility is very difficult. Based on the consumer response theory, we point out that the problem is mainly caused by the enterprise internal and external two aspects. The enterprise internal reason mainly concentrated in three levels: the food business operator's moral level of loss and economic benefits and the enterprise bear ability is not driven. External factor are all five level of the short- comings: the lack of government's regulation and our information disclosure system is incomplete, food safety standard system and complete legal system is imperfect, social responsibility standard system is not complete. In order to improve the corporate social responsibility based on Food Safety, this paper puts forward some suggestions to strengthen our cor- porate social responsibility consciousness and safeguard Chinese basic food security. We can improve the enterprise in- ternal construction to strengthen the enterprise responsibility consciousness and enhance the enterprise the management ability, and strengthen the small and medium-sized enterprise training improvement liability to force.

The San Francisco Chinese Food Security Module: Validation of a Translation of the US Household Food Security Survey Module

There are no validated scales for measuring the prevalence of food insecurity among U.S. Chinese speakers. We validated the newly developed SF Chinese Food Security Module (a translation of the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module) among 483 Chinese-speaking adults at a street fair. Most (8/10) of the translated items performed well compared to national statistics. Food insecure households had lower income and higher financial stress and used more food coping strategies. We conclude that the translated scale successfully identifies food insecure households in a community-based sample of Chinese-speaking adults. The module is suitable for use among Chinese American immigrants, although further development is needed to assess severe food insecurity.

Rice functional genomics and breeding database (RFGB)-3K-rice SNP and InDel sub-database

Rice is an important food crop worldwide. Genomic research on global germplasm has theoretical and practical significances in the mining of favorable alleles and on genome-based molecular breeding, which are related to Chinese and global food security. Through the 3000 (3K) Rice Genome Project, we collected single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion and deletion (InDel) genomic variation data for the 2859 rice genomes, and establish a comprehensive SNP and InDel sub-database for the Rice Functional Genomics-based Breeding (RFGB) Database. This sub-database is a global resource containing a polymorphism information retrieval function, a genome browser visualization system and a data export system for specific genomic regions, along with other tools. This study establishes an important platform for rice gene functional research and rice molecular breeding by genomic selection.

Adopting Higher-yielding Varieties to Ensure Chinese Food Security under Climate Change in 2050

Challenges of ensuring food security under climate change require urgent and substantial increase in the focus of research, innovation, transformation of knowledge, and rapid adoption of available technologies. Here we simulate the effects of the adoption of higher-yielding varieties of rice, wheat and maize crops into the food production systems on China's food security index (FSI, or relative food surplus per capita) in 2050, using the CERES crop models, climate change and a range of socio- economic and agronomic scenarios which were developed following two contrasting development pathways in line with the IPCC A2 and B2 emission scenarios, respectively. The obtained results predict a slightly positive effect of climate change on the FSI, but the magnitude of this positive effect cannot compensate the negative effects of population growth, urbanization rate and the rising affluence on the future trends of the FSI. The outcomes of the adoption of higher-yielding varieties show that a systematic adoption of higher-yielding varieties can raise the average FSI values by a margin of 16 and 27 units under the A2 and B2 scenarios, respectively, during the 2030-2050 period, compared to the average predicted FSI values of -2 and 8 percentage points under A2 and B2 during the same period. This suggests that systematic adoption of higher-yield varieties is an effective measure for Chinese agriculture not only to ensure food security but also to build adaptive capacity to climate change in 2050.

Development of a conceptually equivalent Chinese-language translation of the US Household Food Security Survey Module for Chinese immigrants to the USA

To develop a conceptually equivalent Chinese-language translation of the eighteen-item US Household Food Security Survey Module. In the current qualitative study, we (i) highlight methodological challenges which arise in developing survey instruments that will be used to make comparisons across language groups and (ii) describe the development of a Chinese-language translation of the US Household Food Security Survey Module, called the San Francisco Chinese Food Security Module. Community sites in San Francisco, CA, USA. We conducted cognitive interviews with twenty-two community members recruited from community sites hosting food pantries and with five professionals recruited from clinical settings. Development of conceptually equivalent surveys can be difficult. We highlight challenges related to dialect, education, literacy (e.g. preferences for more or less formal phrasing), English words and phrases for which there is no Chinese language equivalent (e.g. 'balanced meals' and 'eat less than you felt you should') and response formats. We selected final translations to maximize: (i) consistency of the Chinese translation with the intent of the English version; (ii) clarity; and (iii) similarities in understanding across dialects and literacy levels. Survey translation is essential for conducting research in many communities. The challenges encountered illustrate how literal translations can affect the conceptual equivalence of survey items across languages. Cognitive interview methods should be routinely used for survey translation when such non-equivalence is suspected, such as in surveys addressing highly culturally bound behaviours such as diet and eating behaviours. Literally translated surveys lacking conceptual equivalence may magnify or obscure important health inequalities.

Chinese Food Security and Climate Change: Agriculture Futures

Abstract Climate change is now affecting agriculture and food production in every country of the world. Here the authors present the IMPACT model results on yield, production, and net trade of major crops in China, and on daily calorie availability as an overall indicator of food security under climate change scenarios and socio-economic pathways in 2050. The obtained results show a relatively optimistic outlook on yield, production and trade toward 2050. The outcomes of calorie availability suggest that China will be able to maintain a level of at least 3,000 kilocalories per day through 2010 to 2050. Overall, Chinese agriculture is relatively resilient to climate change. It is unlikely that Chinese food security by 2050 will be compromised in the context of climate change. The major challenge to food security, however, will rise from increasing demand coupled with regional disparities in adaptive capacity to climate change.

Modelling impact of agro-drought on grain production in China

Agro-drought is a powerful natural force shaping significant impacts on food security in a country like China with huge population and relatively limited cropland resources. Quantitatively modelling the relationship between agro-drought and Chinese grain production had not been reported in scientific literature. In this paper we developed an applicable approach to model the impact of agro-drought on grain production in China using the statistical data on agro-drought at various levels of severity. Our hypothesis was that grain production in China should be higher than the actual one shown in statistical yearbooks for the same cropping structure and farming inputs if there was no drought. To test the hypothesis, a modelling procedure to link agro-drought at various levels with grain production had been established at provincial level of China. Statistical data on agro-drought and grain production with consideration of cropping structure were used for the modelling. Our results indicated that the impact was very obvious. Each year ~24Mha (million hectares) of cropping land in China were under drought attacks at various levels. Average drought intensity defined as ratio of grain acreage under drought attacks to total grain acreage was 13% during 1990–2011 taking moderate attack as a unity, which is defined as grain loss of ~45% under drought attack according to statistics system in China. Annual loss of grain production as a result of drought attacks was ~26Mt (million tons), shaping an impact of 5.2% to grain production in China. The loss is almost equal to the total grain production of such a big grain producer as Hebei, Jilin or Hunan in China and can feed ~75 million people. Spatially intensive impacts of agro-drought on grain production were observed in northeastern, northwestern and southwestern provinces, where drought intensity was higher than 15% and the impact was over 6%. Our study reveals that food security of China under drought attacks is with a probability of above 92% and grain storage of ~20Mt is required for China to minimize the threat of drought attacks on its food security. This significant impact of agro-drought on grain production might suggest the risk for Chinese food security that needs to be globally concerned under circumstance of climate change.

Rice re-cultivation in southern China: An option for enhanced climate change resilience in rice production

Rice planted in southern China accounts for 94% of the total in sown acreage and 88% of the total in production, which matters a lot to Chinese food security. However, due to the prolonged conflict between water availability and rice growth in spatial/temporal distribution, rice production suffers from seasonal drought at acreage of 16%-22%, which compromises food production capacity and food security. Focusing on the spatial distribution of seasonal drought with rice and the practices to adapt to it, and based on an analysis of balanced water supply for and demand by rice at a growing season scale during 1981-2030, this paper assesses the changing seasonal drought in the process of rice production under the changing climate in the future, and identifies general rice re-cultivation options for climate change adaptation. Some conclusions can be drawn as follows. (1) Rice suggests a decline in seasonal drought, with early season rice (early rice hereafter) by 12,500 km(2), middle season rice (middle rice) by 80,000 km(2), and in particular late season rice (late rice) by 25,000 km(2), which accounts for almost 20% of its cultivated acreage. It is indicated that due to climate change, seasonal drought in major rice producing areas tends to alleviate in general, late season rice in particular. (2) Future climate change brings about a significant impact on the spatial/temporal distribution of water resources in rice producing areas in China. Based on 'pre-designed' adaptation actions for rice-re-cultivation, the rice cultivation pattern undergoes a significant alteration between 1981-2000 and 2001-2030. In eastern Guizhou and western Hunan, the pattern of single early plus single dry farming is changed into double cropping. In eastern Hunan, the pattern of dry cropping is changed into single early plus single dry farming. In northern Anhui, the pattern of dry farming cropping is changed into middle rice. All this is aimed at a potential adequate availability of water for rice production in the future. (3) Rice re-cultivation patterns developed in this paper help re-balance water demand and supply for rice growth using the spatial analysis tool to adapt rice growth to the changing water availability from spatial perspective, and come up with rice producer-friendly re-cultivation options in response to climate change.

Vision of Resource, Structure, System and Chinese Food Security

Chinese food security has important strategic significance not only for native sustained economic and social development, but also has an important impact on world food security. At present, Chinese food security is facing three major issues which are serious resource constraints, complex structural contradictions and lag system supply. This paper presents the analytical framework of “resource • structure • System” and conducts theoretical and empirical analysis on the issue of food security in China by the method of system theory. The studies shows that the realization of food security in China should be based on its specific national conditions and reasonably and effectively combine resource allocation, structural optimization and system relief in order to provide continuous power for further enhancing the comprehensive support capacity of national food security.

Agricultural science and technology in China

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to delineate the evolution of agricultural science and technology (S&T) in China in the last three decades as it has been one of the major factors, besides others, in ensuring comfortable levels of global food security. In doing so, it focuses on policy and progress, which have provided the right ambience for Chinese agricultural science and technology to evolve into an effective instrument of development.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs institutional approach to government, scientists and farmers, who have been contributing to the growth of Chinese agricultural technology in two distinct ways. While the government has been playing a critical role in evolving a comprehensive agricultural S&T policy, scientists and farmers have been contributing to the progress of agricultural growth through research and application of various agricultural technologies.FindingsAgricultural S&T in China has increasingly been growing into a potent force in facilitating comfortable levels of food security but with serious implications on the environment. Of the three players who have been instrumental in this process, the Chinese Government and the scientists are well prepared for WTO and globalization vis‐à‐vis agricultural technology, but the farmers are not well positioned.Originality/valueAgricultural S&T development in China is critically important not only for Chinese food security but also for the larger global food and human security, as the two are inextricably connected. While most studies focus on various dimensions of agricultural technology, this study focuses on government, scientists and involved farmers, whose role is central to this process, and who are forced to rethink and reposition themselves in the development and use of agricultural S&T in China.

Strategic considerations for Chinese agricultural water and food safety: Issues, challenges and suggestions

China is a country not only with water resources shortage, but also with a large population and great food needs. Food security issues have aroused great concern at home and abroad. It has become an inevitable choice for sustainable development of Chinese economic society to achieve food and strategic water security. Based on related analysis of current data as agricultural water consumption, effective irrigation, food production and cultivation areas in China from 1949 – 2006 and the achievements as well as key challenges facing the Chinese grain production were discussed from the view of protecting Chinese recent and medium food and strategic water security. It is proposed that the solution to this crucial hard problem lies on vigorously developing modern water-saving high-efficient agriculture and relying on technology. It is believed that under the premise of ensuring Chinese future strategic water security, the water needs of Chinese food security can basically be met. Based on the above, it is put forward that Chinese recent medium water-saving and high-efficient agriculture research should put emphasis on five aspects, which include the biological water-saving technology, inferior water resources development technology, high-efficient water using technology for dry farming, water-saving irrigation technology and equipments, as well as regional high-efficient water-saving agriculture comprehensive technology. Key words: Agricultural water, food safety, water-saving potential, research emphasis.