Water and Soil Conservation:The Heart of Green Agricultural Development

July 4, 2017: Beautiful mountains and waters in a village in Zhejiang Province in southeastern China. Water and soil conservation is the heart of green agricultural development. by Zhang Cheng/Xinhua

China's agriculture has seized enormous achievements over the past four decades since its reform and opening up began in the late 1970s. Meanwhile, the ecology has paid a heavy price, which is influencing the safety of agricultural products.

The report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) pointed out that “as socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved. We now face a contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.” The glaring imbalance in agriculture is embodied by the people’s growing demand for safe, quality farm produce and insufficient supply. As a result, green development of agriculture is a major solution to the principal social contradiction of the new era.

It is worth noting that water and soil conservation remains the core and foundation of green agricultural development. It is not just an issue related to agricultural development and food safety, but also a strategic problem concerning the healthy development of the Chinese people.

To realize the green development of agriculture and ensure the quality of agricultural products, the top priority must be ensuring that agriculture is grown with enough high-quality water and soil. It is no secret that China’s per capita water resource measures only a fourth of the world average, and that the available water resources are scattered unevenly in the country. Rapid industrialization and urbanization have devoured a growing share of quality water and soil. Agricultural production has continuously pushed the limits on the supply of quality water and soil.