Crop Diversification in the Asia-Pacific region - United Nations in ...

cabbage (Brassica caulora Pasq.) bred by using three lines, and the use of new varieties ofsoybean, peanut, sugar cane, tobacco, tea, bast fibre plants, fruit trees, vegetables etc., indiversifying traditional cropping patterns.4. CROP DIVERSIFICATION AS A STRATEGY FOR MAXIMIZING FOODPRODUCTION4.1 Security of Food and NutritionChina is a country with the highest population in the world. The Chinese governmentalways attaches importance to grain production and takes grain production as the basis ofnational food security and social stability. In the past 20 years or more, since theimplementation of the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, the total amount ofgrain required for consumption has been effectively resolved in China. China’s grain yieldper capita has reached about 400kg. Along with the development of the economy, the urbanand rural residents became more sophisticated in their demands based on specific varieties,quality and nutritive value of foods. In recent years, the type of crops grown has beenregulated progressively, with a bias towards the reputed, special, high quality, new and rareagricultural products which have been developed rapidly.4.2 Alleviating Poverty and Increasing Income and EmploymentThe Chinese government always attaches importance to the development andproduction of grain, increasing agricultural production, and solving the problem of selfsufficiencyin food and clothing. In general, the problem of grain security has been largelyresolved. However, owing to the unequal development between areas as well as the harshnatural environment in certain regions, and poor links in the distribution chain with poorlyequipped transportation systems, there are still about 42 million people who have not enoughto eat and wear even as recently as 1998.To solve these problems, the government is trying hard to improve the conditions ofagricultural production, quicken the economic development in poverty-stricken areas andguarantee grain security for the poor people in rural areas on the basis of the policy ofstabilizing the rural areas and increasing agricultural inputs. Meanwhile, attention is alsostressed on the protection and development of crop resources, guiding and encouragingfarmers to adopt a market-oriented cropping structure, enlarging the scope of employmentfor farmers and enhancing their income. In 1998, the poverty-alleviating fund invested by thegovernment exceeded 18.3 billion yuan RMB. This investment was used in planting andraising the production of poverty-stricken villages and families through a micro-creditscheme, which indeed promoted the economic development of poverty-stricken areas andhelped in solving the problem of providing sufficient food and warm clothing.4.3 Rational Utilization of Land, Water and other ResourcesProtecting arable land, saving water and developing and using natural resources ofthe environment rationally is the base for ensuring national grain security, and achievingsustainable development of agriculture as well as preserving the national wealth of crops andsafeguarding the ecological balance. The Chinese government always provides specialprotection to arable land. For instance, the basic farmland protecting system, which has been28