Characteristic Analyses Of Chinese Farming Systems And Case Study At County Level

In the combination of farming systems' comparison between Chinese and international, the connotation and structure of Chinese farming systems were explored. Hierarchical classification of farming systems was conducted in respect of climate, geography and characteristics of cropping & animal husbandry. According to the classification and systematic theory, Chinese farming systems, regional farming systems in China and three case studies at county level were carried out.Based on the analyses of Chinese farming systems, it was put forwarded that the input increases while cropping benefit gradually declines, agricultural focus should be moved on farming infrastructure particular in hydraulic facilities to enhance farmland productivity for crop output rise. Challenging problems are from increasing pressure of resources and environment, underdevelopment of rural economy and culture. The strategy of development lies in the optimization of regional layout, advancement of technology and modernization, development of sideline, reinforcement of goods quality and market, protection and proper exploitation of resources & environment, and improvement of rural society and economy.On the bases of analyses of regional farming systems, it was showed that main current problems in eastern coastal areas are caused by the impact of WTO entry, narrow market of farming products, low industrialization and deterioration of environment, while in central plains are caused by water shortage, drought & flood, instability of production, rural poverty; in northwestern areas are caused by environmental degradation from over exploitation; in mountainous areas are caused by soil & water erosion on sloping land, low mechanization by mountainous obstacle, and poor rural infrastructure. The foci of strategy in those regions rest respectively on the processing & trade of farming products, agricultural industrialization, the improvement of ecological environment and characteristic farming.Case studies of farming systems in Zheng'an county of Guizhou, Gaocheng city of Hebei province and Shunyi district of Beijing city were holistically conducted. It was suggested that the outlet to mountainous farming systems lies in developing sideline under the precondition of improved transportation; meanwhile the development of farming systems in plain in northern China should focus on its sustainability due to its serious water shortage; and suburban farming systems are multi-functional in the aspects of production, ecology and society.Yield potentials of rice, wheat, maize, potato, soybean and oil rape were estimated by AEZ model for 41 Chinese farming systems zones. The result showed that those six crops may have total output potential of 714 million tons which meets its demand of 618 million tons by 2030 in the country. The key countermeasures were concluded as to ensure irrigation through hydraulic construction for farmland, to breed and extend high-yield crop variety, to guarantee essential farmland for food production, to enhance cropping benefit and farmer's enthusiasm, and to alleviate environmental pressure through the advancement of science & technology.