Opinion | China’s next power move is as much in the fields as in factories – South China Morning Post

Report on China’s Agricultural Strategy and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Policy Directives and Strategic Goals

Recent policy developments in China indicate a significant strategic prioritization of agriculture and food systems. The communique from the fourth plenary session of the Communist Party’s Central Committee has established the acceleration of China’s transformation into an agricultural power as a key objective. This initiative is anticipated to be a central component of the forthcoming 15th five-year plan (2026-2030).

The strategic timeline for this agricultural transformation has been established through several key policy milestones:

1. 2022: The 20th National Congress of the party first articulated the long-term goal of establishing China as an agricultural powerhouse by the middle of the 21st century.
2. 2023: The annual “No 1 central document,” which outlines rural policy, reaffirmed this national ambition.
3. April 2024: The State Council released a detailed plan outlining specific targets for this transformation.

The primary targets set forth by the State Council are:

• To achieve significant progress in agricultural modernization by 2027.
• To fully establish China as a global agricultural power by 2050.

2.0 Core Rationale: National Food Security and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

The fundamental driver for this policy is the strategic importance of national food security and self-sufficiency. Presidential directives have consistently emphasized that control over the nation’s food supply is a matter of national security. This objective directly aligns with the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. By aiming to secure the food supply for its 1.4 billion citizens, China’s strategy addresses the core tenets of SDG 2.

3.0 Challenges and Implications for Broader Sustainable Development Goals

China’s pursuit of agricultural self-sufficiency faces considerable environmental and resource-based challenges. Successfully navigating these obstacles is critical for alignment with a range of Sustainable Development Goals.

• Resource Scarcity: The nation must feed approximately 20% of the world’s population using less than 10% of global arable land and a disproportionately small share of freshwater resources. This challenge directly engages:
  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Specifically Target 2.4, which calls for ensuring sustainable food production systems and implementing resilient agricultural practices.
  • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The scarcity of freshwater necessitates major advancements in water-use efficiency in agriculture, as outlined in Target 6.4.
• Environmental Degradation: Mounting pressures from land degradation and pollution threaten agricultural productivity and ecological stability. Addressing this requires alignment with:
  • SDG 15 (Life on Land): The strategy must incorporate measures to combat desertification and restore degraded land and soil, in line with Target 15.3.
  • SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources (Target 12.2) is essential to mitigate pollution from agricultural activities.
• Climate Change and Shifting Consumption: The agricultural system is increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks, while evolving dietary patterns place new demands on production. This necessitates a focus on:
  • SDG 13 (Climate Action): Building resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards (Target 13.1) is crucial for the long-term viability of the agricultural sector.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

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

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article’s central theme is China’s focus on food as a “clear policy priority.” It explicitly mentions “food security” and “food self-sufficiency” as central to the national strategy. The goal is to ensure the “rice bowls of China’s 1.4 billion people ‘must always be firmly held in their own hands’,” which directly aligns with the core mission of SDG 2 to end hunger and ensure food security.
2. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The article highlights that China faces a significant challenge with “an even smaller share of freshwater resources” and “water scarcity.” Since agriculture is a major consumer of water, any plan to become an “agricultural power” must address the sustainable management of water, connecting it to SDG 6.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The text points out that China must feed its population with “less than 10 per cent of global arable land” and is facing “mounting pressure from land degradation.” This directly relates to SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and halting land degradation.

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

1. Targets under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)
   • Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people… to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. The article’s emphasis on “food security” and feeding “1.4 billion people” directly supports this target.
   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production… and that progressively improve land and soil quality. China’s plan for “agricultural modernisation” and becoming an “agricultural power” while facing “land degradation, water scarcity, pollution… and climate shocks” points directly to the need for resilient and sustainable agricultural systems as described in this target.
2. Target under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The article’s mention of “water scarcity” as a major pressure on China’s agricultural ambitions implies that achieving agricultural transformation will require addressing water-use efficiency, which is the focus of this target.
3. Target under SDG 15 (Life on Land)
   • Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. The challenge of “land degradation” mentioned in the article is a direct concern of this target. China’s goal to boost production on limited arable land necessitates efforts to restore and maintain soil quality.

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

1. Indicators for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)
   • The article implies the use of an indicator related to food self-sufficiency levels. The statement that the “rice bowls of China’s 1.4 billion people ‘must always be firmly held in their own hands'” suggests a national goal of high self-sufficiency, which can be measured.
   • Progress towards becoming an “agricultural power” implies measuring agricultural productivity and output. The goals for 2027 (“significant progress in agricultural modernisation”) and 2050 (“become an agricultural power”) would be tracked using metrics of production volume and efficiency.
2. Indicator for SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
   • The article’s discussion of “water scarcity” in the context of agriculture implies that a key indicator for success would be the change in water-use efficiency (Indicator 6.4.1). Improving how much food is produced per unit of water would be a critical measure of progress.
3. Indicator for SDG 15 (Life on Land)
   • The mention of “land degradation” as a mounting pressure implies that progress would be measured by the proportion of land that is degraded (Indicator 15.3.1). A successful agricultural policy would need to halt or reverse this trend, making this a relevant indicator.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: scmp.com