Mon, Mar 30, 2009
Xurong MeiDiscussion Summary:
China has 8% of the world’s arable land, 6% of the water, but 20% of the population.
China's goals to 2030 are: food security, agro-ecosystem protection, poverty reduction, and promotion of urbanization.
30% of agriculture in China is irrigated, the remainder is rainfed. After massive gains in the second half of the 20th century, China has not been able to add irrigated land.
Climate change will likely make the North of China hotter and drier, while the South will become wetter.
This could potentially decrease China’s cereal output by 5-10%. The price of cereals is kept low by the government. This policy benefits the average citizen, but harms farmers.