Water is of paramount importance to Chinese agricultural production and food security. Yet water is extremely scarce in China; spatially and temporally uneven distribution, water pollution, inefficient water use, fragmented water management and the effects of climate change further exacerbate the problem of water scarcity. Against this background, this paper presents recent insights into the complex role of water resources in agricultural production in China. The document highlights the critical problem of water scarcity and the spatial mismatch of water resources and agricultural production, discusses groundwater extraction and its regulation, and demonstrates the importance of integrated water management. Based on these analyses, the authors list potential options for action to tackle the water problem and sustain food security.
The background paper was published by IAMO in cooperation with the German Agribusiness Alliance at the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV), the German-Sino Agricultural Center (DCZ) and the GFA Consulting Group. Financial support was provided by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).
Background paper of GFFA panel China published
The organizers of the panel discussion, “Three Sides of One Coin: Agriculture and Water in China”, held on 20 January 2017 at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin, Germany, have published a background paper under the title “Water and Agriculture - Status, Challenges and Options for Action”.
