Review

Strategic considerations for Chinese agricultural water and food safety: Issues, challenges and suggestions

Wu Pu-te^1,2

¹Northwest A and F University, Yangling 712100, China.

²National Engineering Research Center for Water-saving Irrigation at Yangling, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China.

E-mail: wuputevip@sina.com.  Tel: +86-29-87082802. Fax: +86-29-87082802.

Accepted 16 July, 2010

   Abstract

China is a country not only with water resources shortage, but also with a large population and great food needs. Food security issues have aroused great concern at home and abroad. It has become an inevitable choice for sustainable development of Chinese economic society to achieve food and strategic water security. Based on related analysis of current data as agricultural water consumption, effective irrigation, food production and cultivation areas in China from 1949 – 2006 and the achievements as well as key challenges facing the Chinese grain production were discussed from the view of protecting Chinese recent and medium food and strategic water security. It is proposed that the solution to this crucial hard problem lies on vigorously developing modern water-saving high-efficient agriculture and relying on technology. It is believed that under the premise of ensuring Chinese future strategic water security, the water needs of Chinese food security can basically be met. Based on the above, it is put forward that Chinese recent medium water-saving and high-efficient agriculture research should put emphasis on five aspects, which include the biological water-saving technology, inferior water resources development technology, high-efficient water using technology for dry farming, water-saving irrigation technology and equipments, as well as regional high-efficient water-saving agriculture comprehensive technology.

Key words: Agricultural water, food safety, water-saving potential, research emphasis.