As arable land continues to shrink China is seeking more hi-tech measures to increase grain production.

An organization consisting of four government bodies - the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Finance Ministry and the State Administration of Grain – all signed responsibility contracts with China's 12 major grain production provinces yesterday in Beijing. They pledged to make greater efforts to increase crop yields through science and technology.

The 12 major grain base provinces are Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Sichuan.

A national science and technology project for high-yield grain was also launched to provide support for them. The project allocated 320 million Yuan (US$42 million) to research high-yield grain production. The central government will provide 180 million Yuan. Local governments will pay the remainder.

"Hi-tech input will play a key role in ensuring the country's grain security and improving farmers' living standards," said Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology. "The agricultural innovations must be practical, allowing farmers successful results, and boost their support for hi-tech measures. Our technicians need to work in the field with the farmers. They should always be available to advise farmers during critical periods."

Floods have hit southern China while drought has attacked the north.

"Scientists have developed crop varieties with the ability to resist drought, floods, high temperatures, diseases and pests and they are expected to be promoted across the country," said Yu Zhenwen, a professor at Shandong Agriculture University. "High temperatures have caused more pests and a shrinkage in wheat and corn crops in recent years."

The project will involve building a test site of 9,300 hectares, a demonstration agriculture site of 900,000 hectares, and a beneficial zone of 9 million hectares in the next four years to guarantee that the country meets its annual output goal of 540 million tons by the end of 2010, as set by the 11th Five-Year Plan.

Due to urbanization, natural disasters and reforestation, by late October last year, China had only had 122 million hectares of arable land a decrease of 306,636 hectares less than last year according to figures from the Ministry of Land and Resources. 

 

(China Daily July 17, 2007)