China takes steps to ensure food security

(China Daily)- China has outlined detailed policy measures to underpin its “all-encompassing approach” to food and to build a diversified food supply system, which analysts said will contribute to ensuring food security and building up the country’s strength in agriculture.

The guideline on speeding up the building of a diversified food supply system, issued by the General Office of the State Council in September, said the country will take measures to effectively promote the development of new food varieties, fields and technologies.

Efforts will be made to expand food resources through multiple channels, boost sci-tech innovation to improve the quality and effectiveness of food development, and enhance the entire industrial chain, in particular the value chain of the food industry, according to the document.

Both the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the No 1 document of 2024 proposed an all-encompassing approach to food and the expansion of food resources, which analysts said indicates the strong emphasis China has put on the issue.

“The adoption of an all-encompassing approach to food can not only better meet people’s growing diversified food consumption needs, but also constitute an inevitable choice to address food security challenges confronted by China,” said Tang Wei, an associate professor at Sichuan Agricultural University’s Law School.

According to official data, last year China’s total meat production was 97.48 million metric tons, its milk production was 42.81 million tons, and poultry and egg production reached 35.63 million tons. Tang said these figures reflect changes in people’s diets and that there should be higher requirements for the diversity of food supply.

The all-encompassing approach to food emphasizes moving beyond traditional staple crops to address food security, and instead expanding to a broader category that includes meat, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, fish, mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

Despite having only nine percent of the world’s arable land and six percent of its freshwater resources, China feeds nearly 20 percent of the global population.

“In the context of increasing constraints on resources and the environment, embracing the approach will help ensure food security and sustainable development,” Tang said.

The document issued last month called on expanding from arable land resources to encompass the entire territory’s resources under the premise of protecting the ecological environment, encouraging exploring new food resources from natural resources, including forests, grasslands, rivers, lakes, seas and facility-based agriculture.

“Expanding the spatial scope of agricultural production and diversifying supply channels can reduce the pressure on arable land, further consolidating the foundation of food security,” Tang added.

Zheng Fengtian, a professor at the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University of China, underscored the necessity to fully tap resources in accordance with local conditions and highlighted the importance of substantial investment in scientific and technological innovation in boosting agricultural modernization.

He gave the example that the vast majority of western China, which may not be suitable for large-scale farming, is endowed with abundant forest resources. The region can support the development of the understory economy and the cultivation of various cash crops, he said.

The understory economy refers to the development of industries under the forest canopy such as animal husbandry and planting suitable crops.

Official data shows that beyond arable land, China has over 267 million hectares of forest, a similar amount of grassland, and abundant rivers, lakes and seas.

More importance should be attached to these resources, and research and development into corresponding varieties and technologies to foster diversified food supply channels, Zheng said.

Expanding agricultural production space does not mean unlimited extraction, rather, it is about the reasonable use of natural resources, he added.

Zheng warned that the sources of China’s grain imports and transportation capacity of import channels are relatively concentrated, making the country susceptible to geopolitical and shipping risks.

Adopting an all-encompassing approach to food could enhance the resilience of China’s food supply chains, allowing it to actively respond to external instability and uncertainty, he said.

“If China can achieve significant agricultural technological breakthroughs, it will not only facilitate addressing its food security but also set an example for other developing countries,” Zheng said, calling for shoring up innovation in areas including breeding technology and strengthening the leading role of enterprises.

Sheikh Ahaduzzaman, a representative for China at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, said at an event held last year he expects China’s food industry to become more powerful, upgraded, innovative and sustainable. “This will not only benefit the Chinese people, but also make a significant contribution to the positive progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” he said.

According to the State Council’s September document, China will accelerate breeding innovation to cultivate high-yield, high-quality and stress-resistant new varieties, and encourage enterprises to collaborate with universities and research institutes in a bid to develop and promote new technologies and equipment.

Sun Shujing, a senior agriculture researcher at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, highlighted the significant roles of scientific and technological innovation in nurturing competitiveness in agricultural products and industries.

Sun has previously researched white fungus, with the aim of improving production technologies and increasing yields. “Influenced by the all-encompassing approach to food, research priorities will be given to innovation across the entire industry chain to promote the healthy development of the industry,” she said.

The document specifically mentions developing and expanding the edible mushroom industry, and creating edible mushroom products, which Sun said will strengthen researchers’ confidence in engaging in the industry and motivate them to meet the significant national demand for the product.

Zhong Yu, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said efforts should be made to achieve a virtuous cycle of mutual adaptation between demand and production to promote the high-quality development of agriculture and better meet the people’s aspiration for a better life.

“We should accelerate the establishment of a comprehensive food safety standard and inspection system, proactively align domestic standards with international standards, and expedite the construction of a traceability system for the entire agricultural product supply chain to effectively reduce food safety risks,” he said.

Zhong underscored the need to match supply with demand, saying technologies such as big data should be fully leveraged to understand what consumers want in a timely manner so that production can be adjusted effectively.

As the all-encompassing approach to food emphasizes nutritious and healthy consumption, he said China should keep improving its system for nutritional health standards while continuing to promote food saving and reducing food waste.