How did China feed itself in the past? How will China feed itself in the future?

Abstract

Feeding China, the world's most populous nation with more than 1.2 billion people, presents challenges and issues that can be instructive for other developing countries, and of consequence to the global community through its impact on world grain stocks and availability. This lecture looks to China's past and current policies to formulate proposals on what steps will be necessary for the country to feed itself in the future. China's past success in reaching food poduction targets was founded on agricultural research, the adoption of modern technologies, and a farming system based on individual households. Policy changes in the late 1950s precipitated an agricultural crisis not fully alleviated until the rural reforms of 1979. To develop solutions to meet increased food demand created by population and economic growth, the author explores and makes recommendations in four key areas: technological potential for yield improvement, agricultural research for yield improvement; investment in agricultural infrastructure; and incentives for farmers to adopt new technologies, maintain soil fertility, and apply inputs.