China's Agricultural Sustainable Development Plan Officially Released
Chen Xiaohua, Vice Minister of Agriculture of China, said in Beijing on the 20th that China will implement red-line management of water resources. By 2020, the national agricultural irrigation water consumption will remain at 372 billion cubic meters, the effective utilization coefficient of agricultural irrigation water will reach 0.55, and the area under efficient water-saving irrigation will be developed to 288 million mu.
Chen Xiaohua made the remarks at a State Council policy briefing held that day. He said that several ministries and commissions had recently jointly compiled the National Agricultural Sustainable Development Plan (2015-2030) (hereinafter referred to as the Plan).
In terms of tackling environmental pollution, the Plan points out that it is necessary to prevent and control farmland pollution, comprehensively treat livestock and aquaculture pollution, and improve the rural environment. By 2020, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides will see zero growth; by 2030, livestock and aquaculture waste will basically achieve comprehensive utilization, agricultural film and pesticide packaging waste in major agricultural production areas will basically be recycled and utilized, and crop straw will be fully utilized.
The Plan also points out that it is necessary to improve the quality of cultivated land and appropriately reduce cultivated land, ensure that the cultivated land stock remains above 1.8 billion mu, and by 2020 build 800 million mu of high-standard farmland that is concentrated and contiguous and yields stable harvests despite drought or excessive rain. It is necessary to restore agricultural ecology. By 2020, China's forest coverage rate will reach more than 23%, and the comprehensive vegetation coverage of grasslands nationwide will reach 56%.
At present, a new round of measures to return farmland to forest and grassland is being implemented. Chen Xiaohua said that the "appropriate reduction of cultivated land" mentioned in this Plan is an important measure.
⟦NL> As for how to grasp the "degree," Chen Xiaohua gave an example, saying, "For example, sloping farmland above 25 degrees, wetlands, grasslands, lakes, and so on should be returned in an orderly manner through projects such as returning farmland to forest and grassland and returning grazing land to grassland." In addition, areas seriously polluted by heavy metals and funnel areas with severe groundwater overexploitation all need to be transformed through methods such as adjusting the planting structure, choosing crops that consume less water, and reducing the multiple cropping index.
Chen Xiaohua said that in the final analysis, agricultural development should follow the principle of farming where it is suitable for farming, forestry where it is suitable for forestry, and animal husbandry where it is suitable for animal husbandry.