China's Comprehensive Approach to Food Security Amid Climate Change and Urbanisation

China's Comprehensive Food Security Strategy

China has outlined its latest effort to ensure food security, with a road map to broaden food production beyond traditional farmlands and crops amid mounting pressure to feed 1.4 billion people with conventional resources. The State Council issued a directive to establish a diversified food supply system that combines agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery, as well as plants, animals, and microorganisms by 2027 to increase self-reliance.

President Xi Jinping's Vision

President Xi Jinping's all-encompassing approach to food has repeatedly appeared in official narrative amid an increasing sense of insecurity in food supply due to geopolitical risks, trade tensions, and climate change. The directive vowed to achieve a sound and complete food industry chain and abundant and diverse foods by developing new varieties, exploring alternative biological resources, and promoting technological innovation.

• Alternatives should come from forest-based food industries.
• Grass-fed livestock farming plays a critical role.
• Deep-sea aquaculture is a focus area for expansion.

According to the directive, China's top economic planner is also working with relevant departments to establish statistical monitoring indicators for food, launch a survey of food resources and industries, and develop various food resources based on local realities.

The Importance of Diversification in Food Supply

An all-encompassing approach to food and a diversified food supply system are important measures to ensure national food security and improve people’s well-being, said National Development and Reform Commission spokesman Jin Xiandong. As the world’s largest producer and consumer of crops, China imported more than 59 million tonnes of grain in 2023, representing an 11.1 per cent increase from the previous year.

China’s domestic grain output has remained above 650 million tonnes for nine consecutive years, with last year’s production hitting a record 695.41 million tonnes. However, room for further growth is seen to be dwindling due to low agricultural efficiency and a loss of farmland amid urbanisation, pushing China to encourage increased consumption of other foods.

Last year, China’s forest-food production exceeded 200 million tonnes, becoming the third largest agricultural product after grain and vegetables, while aquatic product production reached 71.16 million tonnes, ranking first in the world. Chinese authorities have also imposed tough measures to reclaim arable land in the past few years as limited resources continue to restrict food supply.

Since 2021, China has added about 1.17 million hectares (2.89 million acres) of arable land, reversing the long-term decline in farmland, vice-minister of natural resources Liu Guohong said on Thursday.