China's agriculture green development: from concept to actions

China has initiated a green transformation plan in 2015, which was soon applied to agriculture, known as the agriculture green development(AGD)initiative, with the goals of achieving food security, high resource use efficiency, and an ecofriendly environment. To assess the agricultural transformation from 1997 to 2020, this paper proposes a national-scale indicator system consisting three dimensions(socioeconomic, food production and eco-environmental) and ten sub-dimensions to quantify the AGD score.This study showed that AGD score in China was at a moderate level during 1997–2010, scoring 40 out of 100. During this stage, decreased scores in the sub-dimensions of resource consumption, environmental quality, and environmental cost have offset the improvement in the socioeconomic dimension, resulting in fluctuated scores around 40. In the second stage(2011–2020), China's AGD score improved but still at moderate level, scoring an average of 46.3, with each dimension increasing by 5.3%–25.0%. These results indicate that China has made progress in the agricultural transformation, transitioning from conceptualization to actions through the implementation of various policies and projects. However, the study emphasizes the need for more effort to address the insufficient and unbalanced development, along with the growing eco-environmental challenges, especially the trade-offs among dimensions.

An index system for evaluation of agriculture green development at county level in China

Agriculture green development(AGD)has become an unavoidable choice to address the unique national circumstances of China.This study established a county-level AGD evaluation index system,comprised three dimensions,food production,ecological environment and socioeconomic development,using 20 indicators.The assessment delved into historical trend and current situation,utilizing Spearman rank correlation analysis to analyze trade-off and synergy relationships,using Quzhou County,Hebei Province as a case study.The main findings were in four areas.Firstly,the index for AGD in Quzhou County increased by 58.9%from 1978 to 2019.The major contribution were the social economy(65.8%)and food production(53.5%),whereas the ecological environment was found to have had a negative impact.Secondly,in 2019,the AGD index was only 56.4,indicating substantial potential for improvement relative to the target value.A notable difference in scores existed between the three dimensions,with the order being ecological environment(66.3)>food production(61.7)>socioeconomic(41.3).Also,90%of the indicators did not reach the target value.Thirdly,relationship analysis of the indicators revealed that the synergistic effect exceeded the trade-off effect.Specifically,46.3%of the indicators had no significant relationship,35.3%had a synergistic relationship,and 18.4%had a trade-off relationship.Finally,interdimensional indicator relationships exhibited a trade-off effect between the ecological environment and both food production and socioeconomic dimensions.However,a positive trend of synergy between production and ecology has emerged since 2015.In conclusion,the quantitative evaluation index system exposed the unbalanced development and significant potential relative to the target value of AGD in Quzhou County,despite notable progress.

Relationship between the Ecological Livability and the Green Development of Agriculture

Ecological livability is one of the important tasks and objectives of the rural revitalization strategy proposed at the 19 th National Congress of the CPC.The most precious wealth of the countryside is the excellent ecological environment,and China must unswervingly follow the route of green agricultural development.Based on current research on the relationship between ecological livable and agricultural green development,comprehensive policy documents,journal literature and related reports,this paper explored the background and connotation of ecological livable,the current situation of agricultural green development and existing problems,and profoundly analyzed ecological livable and the internal connection between agricultural green development,aiming to provide theoretical reference and scientific reference for the final realization of ecological livable goal.

Agriculture Green Development: a model for China and the world

Realizing sustainable development has become a global priority.This holds,in particular,for agriculture.Recently,the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),and the Nineteenth National People’s Congress has delivered a national strategy for sustainable development in China—realizing green development.The overall objective of Agriculture Green Development(AGD)is to coordinate"green"with"development"to realize the transformation of current agriculture with high resource consumption and high environmental costs into a green agriculture and countryside with high productivity,high resource use efficiency and low environmental impact.This is a formidable task,requiring joint efforts of government,farmers,industry,educators and researchers.The innovative concept for AGD will focus on reconstructing the whole crop-animal production and food production-consumption system,with the emphasis on high thresholds for environmental standards and food quality as well as enhanced human well-being.This paper addresses the significance,challenges,framework,pathways and potential solutions for realizing AGD in China,and highlights the potential changes that will lead to a more sustainable agriculture in the future.Proposals include interdisciplinary innovations,whole food chain improvement and regional solutions.The implementation of AGD in China will provide important implications for the countries in developmental transition,and contribute to global sustainable development.

Agriculture Green Development in China and the UK: common objectives and converging policy pathways

This paper has three aims.First,to examine how the negative environmental consequences of intensive agriculture have driven China and the UK to shift away from narrowly focused farm output policies and adopt more holistic green development pathways.Second,to explore the policy objectives they have in common.Third,to assess the numerous opportunities for joint research and knowledge sharing through the Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network and other existing institutional mechanisms.The intensification of agricultural production in the UK started several decades earlier than in China as did the negative environmental consequences of the farm practices.However,their strategies and policies for sustainable intensification and green development have much in common.These are set out in two main documents:the Chinese State Council guidelines for green agriculture and the UK Department for Environment,Food and Rural Affairs 25 Year Environment Plan.There are substantial mutual advantages from greater collaboration on problem identification and monitoring;the development of appropriate technological and management responses and the formulation of sound policies.To achieve this potential,it is recommended that further thought be given to how best to bring together all of the key stakeholders along the whole food chain.

Promoting Agriculture Green Development to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation

With the development of the new century,China’s agricultural modernization has reached a critical juncture.It hasbecome a matter of extreme urgency to determine which of a number of possible paths should be taken.Thetraditional way of agricultural production and development in China(and many other countries)often addresses only single.

Comments on the article of “Agriculture Green Development:a model for China and the world”

The coming century will be one of grand global challenges.We will be facing global warming,a growing world population and growing economies.To meet the needs of all world citizens in a sustainable way will not be easy.One of the challenges will be to feed the growing world population,while limiting global warming.Food and water security are at risk,and we will need to invest in innovative and clean technologies to ensure that also in the future there will be enough food to feed the word.This all is reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Influencing Factors and Improvement Suggestions for Agricultural Green Development Performance:Empirical Insights from China

Agricultural green development is an essential direction for global sustainable agriculture.The academic literature,however,needs to place greater emphasis on studying the factors influencing agricultural green development performance and how such performance can be improved.A theoretical framework for agricultural green development performance was constructed in this paper using the Super-SBM model,which considers undesirable outputs,to measure the agricultural green development performance of 330 cities at or above the prefecture level in China(excluding Tibet Autonomous Region,Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan of China)from 2007 to2018.Furthermore,the influencing mechanism of agricultural green development performance was then analyzed using a spatial econometric model.The results show that:1)from 2007 to 2018,China’s agricultural green development performance experienced three stages of evolution:‘rise,decline and rise’.2)The regions with high performance agricultural green development are mainly distributed in eastern China,northeastern China,and southern Qinghai Province.3)The agricultural economic level,industrialization process,and labor quality play significant roles in promoting local agricultural green development performance,while such performance is obviously inhibited by the openness level and the government’s environmental regulations.Local agricultural green development performance is significant inhibited by the agricultural economic level and accelerated industrialization process in neighboring cities,while significantly promoted by the agricultural industrial structure in neighboring cities.Some suggestions for improving agricultural green development performance are proposed based on these research results,which can provide scientific references for promoting sustainable agriculture.

Evolution process,development goal and realization path of China’s agricultural green development

The agricultural green development process is sorted out from the historical perspective,combined with the“No.1 Central Documents”issued by the central government over the years and the relevant policy documents.Three stages are concluded,including embryonic stage,development stage,strategic promotion and promotion stage.Agricultural green development has three major goals,including providing high-quality agricultural products,efficient utilization of agricultural resources,protection and construction of beautiful countryside.The effective paths for achieving the above goals are agricultural supply-side structural reform,agricultural modernization and rural revitalization.The green development of agriculture is the intersection of the three to alleviate resource environmental pressure and change agricultural production mode.

Coordinating environmental protection and agricultural development: a village-based case study for promoting green transformation

Balancing ecological preservation with sustainable agricultural practices is a global issue. Erhai Lake has felt this challenge keenly. To address it, in 2022, a Science and Technology Backyards(STBs) project was launched in Gusheng Village. The goal of this is to care for the environment while ensuring that farms and farmers can thrive sustainably. The uniqueness of the Erhai STB arises from its interdisciplinary integration, encompassing fields such as ecology, agronomy and social science, resulting in specifically-designed solutions for the Erhai context. While this model aligns with broader STB paradigms, its distinctive edge lies in technological innovation and robust support mechanisms for local agricultural stakeholders. This paper describes the methodology and outcomes of the STB initiative, highlighting its pivotal role in spearheading sustainable transition in Erhai. Preliminary findings underscore the potential of the STB model as an efficacious tool for harmonizing environmental conservation and agricultural practices, that are both financially and environmentally sustainable, rendering it a potential model for comparable regions in China and other counties.

Toward to agricultural green development by multi-objective zoning and nitrogen nutrient management:a case study in the Baiyangdian Basin,China

Although China has achieved great advancements toward national food security,the country is still confronted with a range of challenges,including natural resource stress,imbalanced diets and environmental pollution.Optimized management of crop–livestock systems is the key measure to realize agricultural green transformation.However,optimized management of crop–livestock systems that use multi-objective zoning is lacking.This study employed a multi-objective zoning management approach to comprehensively analyze four indicators:ammonia volatilization,nitrogen surplus,soil carrying capacity and ecological red line area.With its significant ecological integrity and a strong emphasis on sustainability,the Baiyangdian Basin serves as a unique and suitable test case for conducting analyses on multi-objective nutrient optimization management,with the aim to facilitate the agricultural green transformation.This study finds that less than 8%of the area in the Baiyangdian Basin meet the acceptable environmental indicator standard,whereas around 50%of the area that had both nitrogen surplus and ammonia volatilization exceeded the threshold.Implementation of unified management,that is,the same management technique across the study areas,could result in an increase of areas meeting environmental indicator thresholds to 21.1%.This project developed a novel multi-indicator partition optimization method,in which distinct measures are tailored for different areas to satisfy multiple environmental indicators.Implementation of this method,could potentially bring more than 50%area below the threshold,and areas with ammonia emissions and nitrogen surplus could be reduced to 15.8%.The multi-indicators partition optimization method represents a more advanced and efficiency-oriented management approach when compared to unified management.This approach could be regarded as the best available option to help China achieve agricultural transformation to improve efficient production and reduce environmental pollution.It is recommended that current policies aimed at nutrient management toward sustainable agricultural development should shift toward the application of multi-indicators partition optimization.

Comparison of indicators for agricultural green development and the Sustainable Development Goals,and mapping the way forward

While agricultural green development(AGD)is highly recognized and has become a national strategy in China,it is imperative to bridge the knowledge gaps between AGD and the UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),and to evaluate the contribution of AGD to meeting the SDGs.The first aim of this study was to compare the AGD goals and indicators with those of the SDGs so as to identify their relationship.The next aim was to examine the historical evolution of AGD indicators and analyze the gaps between the current status of various indicators and their benchmarks.Limiting factors were identified in China's transition toward AGD.These findings reveal that the indicators of AGD align with those of the SDGs,but have greater specificity to the context in China and are more quantifiable.There has been a significant increase per capita calorie and protein intakes in China,as well as a notable rise in agricultural output per unit of arable land and rural incomes from 1980 to the 2010s.However,these achievements have been accompanied by a high resource use and environmental pollution,highlighting the need for a more sustainable,environmentally responsible agriculture in China.

Optimizing nitrogen management in the food system for sustainable development: a case study of Quzhou County

Nitrogen(N) is an essential nutrient for food production. The rapid increase in population requires high inputs of N to meet the growing food demand. If not managed well, the substantial loss of N from the food system has multiple impacts on grain yield, air and water pollution, and the economic benefits of agricultural. Multi-objective(food security, environmental sustainability and economic sustainability) synergistic consideration of N management in the food system is still lacking. This study employed strategies for optimizing N management in the food system, using Quzhou County as a typical example on the North China Plain. Firstly, a food chain approach was adopted to understand drivers and reasons behind N losses from the food system.Secondly, a top-down approach was used to define multi-objective N management, taking into consideration food security, environmental sustainability and economic sustainability. Multi-objective N management aims to reduce N losses to the environment and increase N use efficiencies,while simultaneously increasing yields and economic benefits. Thirdly, 3R(reduce-retain-recycle) N management strategies were identified for specific crops and animals through a bottom-up approach and then analyzed the potential of these strategies to achieve the multi-objectives. Finally, there is a discussion of how to engage different stakeholders to promote the technologies implementation. This study provides new insights into the synergistic achievement of multi-objective N management in the food system and the development of environmentally-friendly agriculture.

Basic Path and System Construction of Green and Low-Carbon Agricultural Development with Respect to the Strategic Target of Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

The Dual Carbon strategy,which is aimed at achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality,is one of China's major strategiesinthecomingperiod.Agriculture is both an important source of greenhouse gas and a huge carbon sink system.To promote the Dual Carbon strategy,it is crucial for China to lay emphasis on green and low-carbon agricultural development.To achieve carbon peaking,agricultural carbonreduction and sequestration are significant means and haveegreat potential.Thisspaper firstly reviews the current situation of green and lowcarbon agricultural developmen.t.At present,the total agricultural carbon emissions in China are approaching the peak smoothly,and the proportion of carbon emissionsSgenerated by the use of such modern agricultural inputssas fertilizer and on-farm energy increases.Meanwhile,the operation of agricultural ecosystems in China demonstrates the strong capacity to absorb carbon.Then,the paper analyzes the main problems existing in green and low-carbon agricultural development,including excessive agricultural inputs and excessive consumption of fossil energy,the low utilization rate of agricultural resources,insufficient technical reserves for green and low-carbon agricultural development,and a weak supporting system.In the next part,the paper elaborates on the basic path and measures to realize green and low-carbon agriculturalddevelopment,such as strengthening the conservation of agricultural resources and improving the efficiency of resource utilization;enhancing the comprehensive treatment of agricultural non-point source pollution,realizing the reduction and efficiency of fertilizer and pesticide,resource utilization of agricultural wastes,and effective control of white agricultural pollution;cultivating,expanding and strengthening green and low-carbon agricultural industries,and greening the whole industrial chain of agricultural products from production,processing tocirculation;increasing scientific and technological innovation and building a scientific and technological support systems for green and low-carbon agricultural development.Finally,an institutional system to promote green and low-carbon agricultural development is constructed from the aspects of fiscal and taxation system,financial system,land management system,value realization mechanism of ecological products,and constraint and incentive mechanism,etc.This study provides a scientific basis for the further formulation of green and lowcarbon agricultural development policies and measures and relevant research.

Establishing an Agro-ecological Compensation Mechanism to Promote Agricultural Green Development in China

In recent years, grain production has been rising steadily, and the income of farmers has been in- creasing dramatically, thanks in part to the central government＇s policy support for agriculture, rural areas and farmers. However, the conventional production mode leads to overconsumption of agricultural resources, increas- ingly challenging ecological environment impacts, and higher costs of agricultural products whose quality falls short of public expectations. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council both put ex- tra emphasis on agricultural supply-side reform, restructuring of the sector, and a shift in the production mode. This paper explains the significance of the agro-ecological compensation mechanism, analyzes the efficacy of China＇s current agricultural subsidy policies, introduces related experience from developed countries, elaborates options to establish the mechanism, and proposes policy recommendations to accelerate its development. This analysis con- cludes that one of the most important approaches to agricultural green development is to shift the existing subsidy policy from one which aims to ensure the yield by purchasing at a protective price, to a green subsidy which focuses on agro-ecological compensation.

GREEN AGRICULTURE AND BLUE WATER IN CHINA:REINTEGRATING CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION FOR CLEAN WATER

Crop and livestock production are essential to maintain food security.In China,crop and livestock production were integrated in the past.Today,small backyard systems are still integrated but the larger livestock farms are landless and largely geographically separated from crop production systems.As a result,there is less recycling of animal manures and there are lower nutrient use efficiencies in the Chinese food production systems.This,in turn,results in considerable losses of nutrients,causing water pollution and harmful algal blooms in Chinese lakes,rivers and seas.To turn the tide,there is a need for agricultural“green”development for food production through reintegrating crop and livestock production.An additional wish is to turn the Chinese water systems“blue”to secure clean water for current and future generations.In this paper,current knowledge is summarized to identify promising interventions for reintegrating crop and livestock production toward clean water.Technical,social,economic,policy and environmental interventions are addressed and examples are given.The paper highlights recommended next steps to achieve“green”agriculture and“blue”water in China.

Multiple pollutants from crop and livestock production in the Yangtze River: status and challenges

The rapid increase in the proportion of cash crops and livestock production in the Yangtze River Basin has led to commensurate increases in fertilizer and pesticide inputs. Excessive application of chemical fertilizer, organophosphorus pesticides and inappropriate disposal of agricultural waste induced water pollution and potentially threaten Agriculture Green Development(AGD). To ensure food security and the food supply capacity of the Yangtze River Basin, it is important to balance green and development, while ensuring the quality of water bodies. Multiple pollutants affect the transfer, adsorption, photolysis and degradation of each other throughout the soil-plant-water system. This paper considers the impact of multi-pollutants on the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles especially for crops, which are related to achieving food security and AGD. It presents prospective on theory, modeling and multi-pollutant control in the Yangtze River Basin for AGD that are of potential value for other developing regions.

Toward sustainable food systems: global initiatives and innovations

A recent UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) analysis indicated a significant regression in the global SDG goal scores, particularly in SDG 2—Zero Hunger. The emissions of environmental pollution caused by meeting food demands have prompted some countries to intensify their climate change mitigation efforts. These circumstances have introduced significant uncertainty to the future global sustainable food development. Additionally, a notable global challenge is the persistence of hidden hunger, primarily characterized by the insufficient consumption of high-quality animal protein. Addressing this issue would necessitate increased environmental costs to attain high-quality food security. The future food system presents a significant challenge in coordinating food security, food quality and environmental quality. This article presents a comprehensive review and proposes a three-step strategy for future agricultural development based on food security, quality, and environmental aspects. This is a novel food system transfer strategy, as it concurrently addresses both global food security and environmental thresholds. It involves the construction of an efficient food system that operates within the constraints of environmental limits. The objective is to align with global SDG indicators and to maintain natural resource consumption and pollutant emissions within planetary boundaries.

Sustainable intensification of agriculture is key to feeding Africa in the 21st century

Africa in facing numerous challenges in the 21st century in feeding its rapidly increasing population.Land resources have become limited due to urbanization and industrialization.The existing agricultural land has been degraded and soil fertility has declined due to unsustainable farming practices.Despite of progress made in the past several decades,hunger and malnutrition in Africa still hinder health,human development and economic growth,which will become even worse in the future if proper measures are not taken.Sustainable intensification is the only solution to tackling both environmental sustainability including climate change and malnutrition,i.e.,to produce more foods in terms of nutrients human body needs with less natural resources and carbon emissions.To achieve this vision,innovations in technologies,policies and institutions are essential.The Chinese experience in Agricultural Green Development(AGD)can be shared with Africans when the region is pursuing its sustainable intensification strategy.

DESIGNING DIVERSIFIED CROPPING SYSTEMS IN CHINA:THEORY,APPROACHES AND IMPLEMENTATION

Intensive agriculture in China over recent decades has successfully realized food security but at the expense of negative environmental impacts.Achieving green transformation of agriculture in China requires fundamental restructuring of cropping systems.This paper presents a theoretical framework of theory,approaches and implementation of crop diversification schemes in China.Initially,crop diversification schemes require identifying multiple objectives by simultaneously considering natural resources,limiting factors/constraints,and social and economic demands of different stakeholders.Then,it is necessary to optimize existing and/or design novel cropping systems based upon farming practices and ecological principles,and to strengthen targeted ecosystem services to achieve the identified objectives.Next,the resulting diversified cropping systems need to be evaluated and examined by employing experimental and modeling approaches.Finally,a strategic plan,as presented in this paper,is needed for implementing an optimized crop diversification in China based upon regional characteristics with the concurrent objectives of safe,nutritious food production and environmental protection.The North China Plain is used as an example to illustrate the strategic plan to optimize and design diversified cropping systems.The implementation of crop diversification in China will set an example for other countries undergoing agricultural transition,and contribute to global sustainable development.