China: alert on the depletion of cereal lands in the northeast
Harvesting wheat in Hebei Province, eastern China, June 11, 2021. REUTERS
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
It is among the most fertile cereal lands in China.
The black soils of northeast China are losing their yield due in particular to their overexploitation over the past 40 years, says the Chinese Academy of Sciences in a white paper.
With the key, a food security issue for the country.
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With our correspondent in Beijing,
Stéphane Lagarde
A white paper on the black soils of northeast China is the first of its kind and is a sign that the rice field is on fire.
This large
50-page document
in Chinese begins by recalling the importance of the Dongbei granary.
Maize, soybeans, rice, above all: a third of Chinese cereal production comes from these more than 18 million arable land spread over the three provinces of Liaoning, Heilongjiang and Jilin.
The problem is that with global warming and extensive agriculture, the soil is getting poorer, academics say.
Between 1990 and 2000, the cultivated area increased by more than 2 million hectares, while the area of forests decreased by 410,000 hectares, grasslands by 570,000 hectares and wetlands by 1.12 million hectares.
Described as a "
major problem
" by the Chinese president on December 28, 2020, the protection of black soil has become a national priority.
In addition to "good use" of the soil and the use of the latest agricultural technologies, scientists recommend a method of farming that is more respectful of the environment.
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To listen and read also: China is pushing up the prices of agricultural products
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China
Agriculture and Fishing
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Food