Research On Risks To China's Food Security

Food is a valuable resource for survival as well as an essential commodity for both countries and their people. Being a developing country with a large number of people but comparably scarce arable land, China have to feed 22 percent world's population by 7 percent of world's arable land. Therefore, food issue is not merely an economic one, but also a political one close to social and national stability.In addition to domestic contradictions, new risks including frequent natural disasters, wide spread of trade protectionism, food chains of developing countries held by developed countries and the global food crisis exploded in 2007 are all testing the world's food security, which simultaneously run the food security alarm of China.With the continuously economic development, China has already acquired period achievements. For instance, food output had a continuous increase in the past 6 years. We can basically feed ourselves with domestic food. Furthermore, per capital output of food rose from 327 kilograms in 1980 to 399 kilograms in 2008. Despite these achievements, China is still facing so many food security risk factors. The most significant one would be the huge food demand within China. The vast demand for industrial and feed lead to a large consumption for food which amount to 60 percent of the total food demand. Along with the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, such demand will not be reduced in a short term. In the second place, concerning food supply, food production is considered hard to increase due to constraints of water and arable land. Also, technology, as a support, developed much slower compared with that of some western developed countries. Although central government has issued the initial document to support agriculture, investing large sum of money as well as spreading scientific knowledge, it is still impossible to improve technology in the short run as a result of the poor foundation. The above two reasons directly brought about the comparatively low profit for peasants who relying on food planting. Consequently, some peasants started for a new profitable job in the city. And this indirectly provided opportunities for some international agriculture corporations to investing in China. In addition, changes of international situations also challenge food security of China. One thing that worth mentioning would be the global food crisis erupted in 2007. In order to withstand the shocks, though with a high degree of self-sufficiency up to 95 percent, China had to adjust the food export policy to the changing situations for a further stability of domestic market. Besides, in Doha round of agriculture negotiations, as the largest developing country, China has been inevitably involved into the disputes of food trade. We not only have to obey the regulations of WTO, but also need to defend own interests. Therefore, we have really a long way to protect food security.Based on the above clearly understanding and upon four preconditions that may influence a country's food security including food production potential, food consumption level, food circulation system and capacity to import, and international political and economical environment, this dissertation comprehensively analyses the internal and external risks to China's food security from three perspectives. A mass of historical data show that compared with western developed countries, China has a much lower ability to maintain plenty of food supply and an efficient distribution. Plus constant changes in international environment, China will definitely meet so many risks in the future. In view of this, this dissertation proposed three solutions for China. Firstly, we should take all necessary means for food production and to maintain a high degree of self-sufficiency. Government should try every effort to strengthen the protection of natural resources, enhance the level of mechanization, promote innovative capacity and perfect the food distribution channels. Only with improvement of both hard and soft power can a country increase the food production and planting profits, and further give play to the initiative of the peasants. Secondly, in addition to the necessary actions from the government, people should realize the importance of food security, build awareness of saving food in daily life, consume food in a reasonable way and actively cooperate with the state on food security measurements. Lastly, under the constant changes of international political and economical environment, we should follow WTO rules while clearly understanding our own situation, and then establish reasonable food market system and food trade policy in order to withstand the negative impacts from the international markets.