Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Subsidy Policies in China and Africa: A Focus on Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

A recent study provides a comparative analysis of agricultural subsidy policies in China and Africa, examining their role in the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. This transformation is critical for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including improved agricultural productivity, guaranteed food security, and enhanced environmental sustainability. The research, published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, compares the policy goals and implementation methods in China and Africa to offer insights for the global agrifood system.

Comparative Policy Analysis

The study identifies both common objectives and significant differences in the agricultural subsidy policies of China and Africa, which have distinct implications for achieving the SDGs.

Shared Core Objectives

• Food Security and Productivity: Both regions prioritize improving agricultural productivity and ensuring food security, directly aligning with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
• Poverty Alleviation: Policies are designed to provide incentives to farmers, boosting production and contributing to poverty reduction, which supports SDG 1 (No Poverty).

Divergent Policy Structures

• China: The policy framework is comprehensive and increasingly oriented toward sustainable development. A major reform in 2015 merged several subsidies into a “farmland quality subsidy,” which supports land protection and contributes to SDG 15 (Life on Land). The abolition of subsidies for fertilizer manufacturing was a strategic move to reduce the environmental damage caused by overuse, addressing targets within SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Africa: Subsidy policies are generally more targeted, focusing on specific inputs to address the immediate needs of smallholder farmers. Examples include fertilizer subsidy programs and electronic voucher systems for agricultural inputs, which are primarily aimed at achieving the targets of SDG 2.

Common Challenges to Sustainable Agriculture

Despite notable achievements, both China and Africa face common challenges that threaten agricultural sustainability and the attainment of several SDGs.

• Climate Change: Extreme weather events pose a serious threat to agricultural production, jeopardizing food security and progress on SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Water Scarcity: There is significant pressure on agricultural water use in both regions. This challenge directly impacts the long-term viability of agriculture and the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• Smallholder Dominance: The agricultural sectors in both regions are dominated by smallholders, which can restrict improvements in production efficiency and the scaling of sustainable practices.

Policy Recommendations for Advancing the SDGs

The study proposes three key recommendations to address existing challenges and align agricultural subsidies more closely with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

1. Promote Green and Sustainable Development: Agricultural subsidies should be redirected to encourage environmentally friendly practices. China’s reform of fertilizer subsidies serves as a successful model for balancing SDG 2 with environmental goals. This approach can guide African nations in promoting efficient fertilizers and green farming, supporting SDG 12 and SDG 13.
2. Strengthen China-Africa Cooperation: Enhanced collaboration through platforms like the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is vital. This partnership, central to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), can facilitate the sharing of climate-smart agricultural technologies and coordinate policy efforts to build agricultural resilience to climate change.
3. Increase Investment in Agrifood Systems: Greater investment from China in Africa’s agrifood systems is recommended. This should focus on infrastructure such as storage and processing facilities, which supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and is crucial for reducing post-harvest food losses, a key target under SDG 2.

Conclusion

The research underscores the necessity of reforming agricultural subsidy policies to strike a balance between food security (SDG 2) and environmental sustainability (SDG 6, 12, 13, 15). Achieving the long-term health of the global agrifood system requires precise policy design and robust international cooperation, as envisioned in SDG 17.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. The article states that a core goal of the subsidy policies in both China and Africa is to “alleviate poverty” by providing incentives to farmers.
  • Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources. The focus on smallholders in both regions, who are often among the most vulnerable, directly relates to this target.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. The article explicitly mentions that a top priority for both China and Africa is “ensuring food security”.
  • Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers. The article highlights that subsidy policies aim to “boost production” and notes that agriculture in both regions is “dominated by smallholders,” whose production efficiency needs improvement.
  • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production. The article discusses the “sustainable transformation of agrifood systems,” promoting “green and sustainable development,” and adopting “green farming practices” as key goals.
  • Target 2.a: Increase investment in, inter alia, rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development… The article recommends that China “expand agricultural investment in Africa, focusing on supporting the construction of infrastructure such as storage and processing facilities.”

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals of freshwater to address water scarcity. The article directly addresses this by stating there is “significant pressure on agricultural water use” and that both regions face “the risk of water shortages.”

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The article’s focus on “green and sustainable development” and encouraging farmers to adopt “efficient fertilizers” aligns with this target.
  • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil. China’s reform to abolish “subsidies for fertilizer manufacturing… to reduce environmental problems caused by the overuse of nitrogen fertilizers” is a direct example of actions toward this target.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The article identifies that “extreme weather events caused by climate change pose a serious threat to agricultural production” and recommends sharing “climate-smart agricultural technologies” to “enhance the ability of agriculture to cope with climate change.”

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • Target 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation. The study recommends strengthening “cooperation between China and Africa” through platforms like the “Forum on China-Africa Cooperation” to “share climate-smart agricultural technologies.”
  • Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals. The article’s recommendation for China to share its experiences and invest in African infrastructure serves as a form of capacity-building support.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • Implied Indicator for Target 2.3: The article’s central theme of “improving agricultural productivity” implies the use of Indicator 2.3.1 (Volume of production per labour unit or per unit of land).
  • Implied Indicator for Target 2.a: The recommendation for China to “expand agricultural investment in Africa” suggests Indicator 2.a.1 (The agriculture orientation index for government expenditures).

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  • Direct Indicator for Target 6.4: The article provides specific data points related to Indicator 6.4.2 (Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources) by stating that “agricultural irrigation accounts for 82% of total water withdrawals in Africa and 61.2% in China.”

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Implied Indicator for Target 12.4: The discussion about reducing the “overuse of nitrogen fertilizers” implies a measure of fertilizer use efficiency or reduction, which could be a proxy for indicators related to chemical management.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 12.3: The recommendation to invest in “storage and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest food losses in Africa” directly implies the measurement of Indicator 12.3.1.a (Food Loss Index).

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Implied Indicator for Target 13.1: The call to share and adopt “climate-smart agricultural technologies” implies an indicator measuring the adoption rate of such technologies by farmers.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newswise.com