Legislation to better safeguard food security

A new draft law is expected to protect arable land and ensure food security in China.

The draft food security law was submitted to a session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for deliberation on Monday.

The country will set up "two lines" — the red line of land protection and the bottom line of ecological security to strictly protect arable land, the draft said.

Provincial governments and county and higher levels of government should ensure that farmland within its jurisdiction does not decrease, while the land's quality improves.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, the country has consistently kept its farmland above the red line of 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares).

As of last year, China's grain output had remained above 650 million metric tons for eight years, owing to its strong emphasis on food security, according to government figures.

For nonagricultural use of farmland, the organization that occupies farmland should make sure that an equal amount of land, with no less production capacity, is added for farm use, the draft said, adding that provincial governments should verify the new land.

The draft also requires more efforts to establish a national agricultural germplasm resources pool and to improve the national stock breeding system.

Provincial and higher levels of government should establish a seed reservation system to meet the demand for grain production during disasters, the draft said.

A government-led grain storage system should be established to adjust grain demand and supply, stabilize the grain market and handle emergencies, it said.

The draft also said that grain producers should strengthen the protection of crops during growth and harvesting to reduce losses, it said.

Any deliberate destruction of young crops is prohibited, and research and development of new technologies and equipment to cut losses are encouraged, according to the draft.

The public should also develop a more rational and green consumption concept to prevent waste, it said.

Any organization found occupying, destroying or moving government-invested grain transport infrastructure can be fined from 50,000 to 500,000 yuan ($6,900 to 69,000), while individuals can be fined 5,000 to 50,000 yuan.