China’s Strength in Agriculture and Food Security
- The Paper
Impact of non-grain utilization of cultivated land on the technical efficiency of grain production and regional differences in major grain-consuming areas: A case study of Guangdong Province
Abstract：Based on the statistical data of 20 cities in Guangdong Province from 2001 to 2020, the SFA model was employed to measure the technical efficiency of grain production. The Tobit model was then used to analyze the impact of the non-grain utilization of cultivated land on the technical efficiency of grain production. The results show that: 1)The average technical efficiency of grain production in Guangdong Province showed a steady and slow upward trend, with an average annual growth rate of 0. 15% from 2001 to 2020. There was a significant convergence of temporal changes and differences in spatial distribution among the core PRD region, the coastal economic zone and the northern eco-region. 2)An anti-driving effect between non-grain utilization of cultivated land and technical efficiency of grain production was discovered, which was more pronounced in the core PRD region and the coastal economic zone, but not significantly in the northern eco-region. 3)The impact of different levels of non-grain utilization of cultivated land on the technical efficiency of grain production varied and the anti-driving effect was stronger for high levels of non-grain utilization of cultivated land. In conclusion, it is necessary to focus on the impact of non-grain utilization on grain production. By strengthening the management of non-grain utilization of cultivated land, implementing regional differentiated upgrading strategies, and coordinating with socio-economic instruments, the technical efficiency of grain production in major grain-consuming areas will be stabilized and improved, and the food crop production strategy based on farmland management and technological application will be implemented.Keywords：non-grain utilization of cultivated land;SFA model and Tobit model;technical efficiency;major grain-consuming areas23|42|5
<HTML><L-PDF><Meta-XML>Updated：2023-12-22Can agricultural insurance security level improve the consistency between food security and agricultural income increase?
Abstract：In order to explore the realization path of “win-win” between food security and agricultural income increase, based on the panel data of 13 major grain producing regions in China from 2008 to 2020, the impact of agricultural insurance level on the consistency of grain output and agricultural income and its mechanism were investigated by using the coupling coordination model, panel regression model and two-stage least square method. The results showed that: 1)From 2008 to 2020, the level of coupling coordination between grain output and agricultural income in the main production areas fluctuated and rose, but it still did not break through the moderate coordination level. The level of coupling coordination in the main production areas was significantly different, showing a “three echelon distribution”; 2)The policy based agricultural insurance guarantee level for staple crops significantly improved the consistency between grain output and agricultural income. The consistency level increased by 0. 835 for every 1 percentage point increase in the guarantee level; 3)The level of policy oriented agricultural insurance for major grain crops promoted the development of moderate scale operation of grain crops in major production areas. The moderate scale operation in both the total amount dimension and the efficiency dimension played a significant intermediary effect in the agricultural insurance to improve the consistency between grain output and agricultural income, with the intermediary effect accounting for 50. 19% and 24. 10%, respectively. Therefore, in order to achieve both food security and agricultural income increase, efforts should be made to improve the insurance level of staple food crops, consolidate and improve the income security mechanism for farmers' grain planting; Agricultural insurance will be used to boost the development of grain crops on a moderate scale, providing a new engine for grain production increase and agricultural income increase.Keywords：agricultural insurance;food security;agricultural income increase;coupling coordination level;moderate scale operation190|41|3<HTML><L-PDF><Meta-XML>Updated：2023-12-22Potential impact of disease and pest risk on food security and its countermeasures
Abstract：Scientific assessment and prediction of the potential impact of diseases and insect pests on food security is of great significance for formulating effective risk control measures and ensuring stable grain yield and increase. Based on China Agricultural Sector Model(CASM), this study simulates and analyzes the potential impact of disease and insect pest risks on Chinese food security under the scenarios of combination different risks and prevention and control intensity measures. The results show that: 1)As the risk of diseases and insect pests intensifies, according to the prevention and control level in 2016-2020, there is a risk of expansion of the loss of the rice, wheat and maize, and the loss rate of grain yield will increase from 2. 13% to 2. 58%. Under the high risk and low prevention and control scenario, the “absolute grain ration security” cannot even be effectively guaranteed. 2)After effective prevention and control, the direct economic loss of grain recovered is greater than the cost of prevention and control. Under the high-risk scenario, the grain economic losses recovered under different prevention and control measures is 451. 2~505. 6 billion yuan, which is greater than the cost of prevention and control(17. 9 billion yuan). 3)Biotechnology(industrialization of genetically modified insect-resistant maize)is one of the important measures for control of diseases and insect pests and save the cost of pesticides. Planting genetically modified maize can reduce the loss rate caused by diseases and insect pests from 2. 2% to 1. 0%, while saving more than 60% in pesticide costs. In order to effectively deal with the adverse impact of high incidence of diseases and insect pests on food security, and minimize the loss of grain diseases and insect pests. It is suggested to carry out the assessment and prediction analysis of the damage to grain caused by diseases and insect pests as soon as possible, improve the monitoring and early warning capacity of major diseases and insect pests, accelerate the promotion of biotechnology innovation and industrial application, strengthen the development and application of intelligent plant protection technology, and actively participate in the global biosafety governance.Keywords：diseases and insect pests;food security;CASM model;Prevention and control measures24|41|3<HTML><L-PDF><Meta-XML>Updated：2023-12-22Basic characteristics, strategic goals and paths for building up China's strength in agriculture with Chinese characteristics
Abstract：To explore the path for building up China's strength in agriculture with Chinese characteristics, its basic characteristics, strategies and implementation path were investigated. Based on the analysis of the basic connotation of agricultural strength, this study summarizes three types and six common characteristics of the strong agriculture countries of the world. The results shows that China is a large agricultural country with limited resources. It is necessary to ensure the self-sufficiency of grain and major agricultural products for China. Small-scale farm will still be the basic feature of agricultural management model in China. The realization of green agricultural under the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals and under the diversity and difference of regional agriculture are important features for China agriculture. Based on the understandings above, this study proposes the suggestion of the “four beams and eight pillars” strategic path to build up China's strength in agriculture with Chinese characteristics. The study is expected to provide decision-making reference for formulating the construction plan of building up China's strength in agriculture with Chinese characteristics.Keywords：strength in agriculture;strategic objectives;path;common characteristics;unique feature44|46|1<HTML><L-PDF><Meta-XML>Updated：2023-12-22
