The Causality Between the Green Development and the Food Security Agendas in China

Abstract

Despite China's impressive success in increasing domestic agricultural production in recent decades, the country has yet to ensure self-sufficiency in some food staples. Against the backdrop of the increasing volatility of climate conditions, the degradation of agricultural land, and the depletion of water resources endanger the sustainable development not only of agriculture, but also of rural communities. China's efforts in building a so-called ecological civilization involve curbing greenhouse gas emissions and prioritizing principles of green development. While converging in understanding the need to sustain development, the food security and the green development doctrines differ in a way that increasing the agricultural output is hardly possible without aggravating anthropogenic pressure on ecosystems. In this chapter, the authors use the example of China trying to find common ground between ensuring food security for everyone and the important task of greening the agricultural sector.