Sustainable use of black soil is key to safeguarding China's food security
In May 2014, the Population, Resources and Environment Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference formed a special research group and conducted on-site research in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces on the issue of black soil protection. The research group believed that protecting China's precious black soil brooks no delay, and vigorous measures must be taken to ensure the sustainable use of black soil and provide strong support for China's food security. Recommendations:
1. Strengthen legislative protection of black soil resources. It is recommended that the National People's Congress and the State Council promulgate and issue as soon as possible the “Law on Strengthening the Protection of Black Soil Resources” and the “Regulations on Black Soil Protection”, and that the competent departments formulate supporting specialized implementing rules. Adhere to placing equal emphasis on quantity and quality, strictly designate permanent basic farmland, strictly implement special protection, and tighten the “fence” of cultivated land protection.
2. Strengthen coordination of planning and overall policy arrangement. Relevant ministries and commissions of the State Council and local governments must effectively strengthen the coordination and guidance of various plans, and promptly launch and implement black soil protection and improvement projects. Clearly delineate the scope of responsibilities of the central and local governments, and effectively reduce the burden of local matching funds.
3. Establish a long-term mechanism for the protection of black soil resources. Incorporate the protection of black soil cultivated land into the comprehensive rural supporting reforms set out at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, select several counties (cities) in black soil areas for pilot projects, and explore the separation of the “three rights” of land (ownership rights, contract rights, and management rights). Let the market play a decisive role and promote large-scale and intensive management of black soil cultivated land.
4. Fully implement a conservation tillage system. Relevant departments should draw on advanced international experience and promote technical measures such as no-till seeding and deep loosening and land preparation according to local conditions. Encourage and guide farmers to fully implement a conservation tillage system. Increase subsidies for agricultural products and agricultural machinery and improve related policies.
5. Substantially increase investment in basic farmland construction on black soil. Departments including development and reform, finance, land, agriculture, water resources, and forestry should give priority to strengthening the construction of infrastructure and shelterbelts for black soil farmland. Increase and scientifically arrange investment in soil erosion control. Explore the establishment of a scientific ecological compensation system for black soil cultivated land protection and a black soil cultivated land protection fund.
6. Comprehensively advance measures for stripping and reusing the topsoil of cultivated land occupied by construction. Relevant state departments should, at the level of policies and regulations, accelerate the establishment of a system for stripping black soil topsoil. Add relevant provisions in links such as land use approval, project budgeting, and project acceptance, strictly implement the balance between occupation and compensation, clarify quantity and quality requirements in reclamation, and implement the system whereby whoever develops compensates.