China to enforce strictest possible arable land protection system

BEIJING -- China on Tuesday made public a guideline on arable land protection, aiming to implement the strictest possible protection system and introducing robust measures with real enforcement "teeth" to combat the erosion of arable land.

The guideline, issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, stated that the national arable land area should not fall below 124.33 million hectares, with the area of permanent basic farmland set at no less than 103 million hectares.

To achieve these goals, China will implement the most stringent possible arable land protection policies, introducing robust measures to combat the conversion of arable land to non-agricultural uses and to prevent permanent basic farmland from being utilized for non-grain production.

Local Party committees and governments will be required to treat the protection of arable land and permanent basic farmland as a critical political task. They must ensure that the established protection threshold is never breached, and that strict accountability measures are in place for violations, including a "one-vote veto" punishment for officials who breach protection guidelines severely.

To boost land quality, the document emphasizes the gradual upgrade of permanent basic farmland to high-standard farmland that is suitable for cultivation, resilient to drought and flooding, and capable of ensuring high and stable yields.

A national plan will be developed for this transformation, with priority given to areas in Northeast China's black soil region, plains and regions with irrigation capabilities.

The government will implement black soil protection initiatives, adjusting protective measures to encompass all necessary areas in a timely manner. Law enforcement combating activities that harm the fertile soil will be intensified.

Legislation governing the protection of arable land quality will be accelerated, with annual surveys of soil quality changes and comprehensive evaluations conducted every five years, along with a national soil census to be conducted at an appropriate time.

Efforts will also be made to develop high-efficiency protected agriculture using non-arable land resources. This will involve exploring the sustainable development of modern protected agriculture in arid and desert regions where water resources allow.

These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to ensure national grain security and strengthen the agricultural sector.

China continues to prioritize food security, as it feeds over 1.4 billion people with just 9 percent of the world's arable land. An array of measures has been implemented to improve grain output over recent years, including the construction of more high-standard farmland and the promotion of agricultural technologies.

The country has developed about 66.7 million hectares of high-standard farmland as of the end of 2023, with 13 key grain-producing provincial-level regions accounting for around 70 percent of that total.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China has the sound fundamentals to reap a bumper autumn grain harvest following the summer harvest this year, despite severe disasters triggered by extreme weather in parts of the country.