Zhang Zhengbin: transforming the middle and low yield fields in arid areas to tap the potential of agricultural production

Zhang Zhengbin, Researcher, Agricultural Resources Research Center, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

In recent years, foreign grain export prices are low, China's agricultural product prices are close to the "ceiling", while production costs are constantly rising; the burden of state subsidies for agriculture is overwhelmed, and grain production benefits are declining; grain production capacity in the rain-hot areas of the south is declining, and grain production costs in the water-deficient areas of the north are constantly increasing; Environmental pollution in the three major grain-producing areas in the eastern part of the country has been worsening, and the "eight-fold squeeze" of dry land agriculture in the western part has not realized its potential. China's food security situation is grim, and it is imperative to accelerate the transformation of agricultural development mode.

Of China's cultivated land, half is irrigated land and half is dry land. There are 900 million mu of irrigated medium and stable yield areas, mainly distributed in the three major plains east of Hu Huanyong's population line (Heihe-Tengchong), semi-humid northeast China, North China and humid middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is China's first granary and a stabilizer for China's grain security, ensuring 60 - 70 percent of China's grain production capacity. 900 million mu of dry land accounts for 64% of the country's medium and low yield farmland (1.4 billion mu), mostly distributed in the arid and semi-arid areas west of Hu Huanyong's population line, which is a fluctuation area of China's food security. Disaster years are areas with serious disaster and yield reduction, and good years are the main source of total grain output increment. It should be China's second granary and the largest potential area for China's agricultural development.

It is an important task for China at present and in the future to further transform medium and low-yield farmland in arid areas and tap agricultural production potential through scientific and technological support, South-to-North Water Transfer Project and other inter-basin water transfer projects, as well as efficient utilization of water resources and new water-saving agricultural technologies in dry land. The author makes the following five suggestions:

First, it is suggested that the 13th Five-Year Plan project be established as a major national science and technology project "the second granary science and technology project for medium and low-yield farmland". The first granary in China's 400 million mu high-yield area needs continuous investment in science and technology to maintain high and stable yield, but the high-yield potential is limited and the environmental pollution pressure is high. However, the second granary of 800 million mu of medium-and low-yield grain fields has less investment, quick effect and great potential. Therefore, it is suggested that during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the State Council should take the lead in uniting with the National Development and Reform Commission (overall project deployment), the National Development Bank (project loan), the Ministry of Finance (fund matching) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to learn from the model of water saving and grain increase action launched in the four northeastern provinces with an investment of 38 billion yuan during the 12th Five-Year Plan period.(Water Resources and Agricultural Macro-Strategy), Ministry of Water Resources (Water Transfer Project Design), Ministry of Science and Technology (Science and Technology Increase Grain Efficiency), Ministry of Agriculture (Reserve Cultivated Land Development), Western Provinces and other departments, while supporting the high-yield grain science and technology project (the first granary), in addition to the establishment of a major national science and technology project "the second granary science and technology project in low-yield fields" to ensure China's food security and achieve sustainable development.

Second, speed up water conservancy construction in medium and low-yield farmland areas. As the saying goes, there is no harvest depends on water, more harvest depends on fertilizer. Water is the number one limiting factor in determining crop yields and food security. Speeding up water conservancy construction in 900 million mu of dry land with medium and low yield is the key to tap the production potential of the second granary. From easy to difficult, the key areas of its management are warm and semi-humid climate, two crops a year, but mainly dry farming, represented by Huaibei Plain. The second is the Loess Plateau, where the climate is semi-arid, but with the warming of the climate, it changes from one crop per year to two crops per year. Then, with the warming of climate, the production potential is obviously improved, the planting area is obviously expanded, and the northeast region harvests once a year. finally, we should rely on the daxi line to divert water to solve the problems of water shortage and increased agricultural production in arid areas such as xinjiang, gansu, and ningxia.

Third, it is suggested that while implementing the Silk Road Economic Belt strategy proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the construction of water diversion projects, the transformation of medium and low-yield fields and the development of modern agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas in the west can be implemented as a scientific and technological development strategy to provide food security for the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, expand trade in agricultural products, improve economic benefits, and drive poverty-stricken areas in the west to a well-off society.

Fourth, increase the input intensity of agricultural science and technology in medium and low yield farmland areas. At present, most of the agricultural science and technology investment is mainly in the main grain producing areas, that is, high-yield areas, and relatively little is invested in medium-low yield fields. As a result, the situation of relying on nature for food, planting widely and harvesting thinly in the middle and low yield farmland areas was formed, and its production potential was not brought into play. It is suggested to strengthen the input of water conservancy, science and technology, high standard farmland construction and agricultural machinery in middle and low yield farmland areas, so as to rapidly develop the production potential of middle and low yield farmland.

Fifth, scientific classification research and development guidance in low-yield fields science and technology support input. The successful experience of grain high-yield science and technology project organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology can be integrated and applied in the transformation from middle-yield area to high-yield area. In the process of upgrading from low-production area to middle-production area, new technological innovation and research are needed to overcome different types of low-yield obstacle factors. Due to different types of medium and low yield fields, the difficulties of management are also different. It is necessary to classify scientific research and development of relevant technologies and guide the transformation methods of medium and low yield fields in different regions. While stabilizing grain development, the western region should develop agriculture with special characteristics such as economic fruits, vegetables, Chinese herbal medicines, flowers, grassland animal husbandry, and aquaculture, so as to bring along the masses to increase production and income.

In a word, at present, the improvement of China's total grain output has developed from increasing area to increasing unit area yield and improving green quality and efficiency, which needs stronger scientific and technological support. At the same time, if China wants to balance east and west, prosper and develop together from north to south, develop the belt and road initiative and break through Hu Huanyong line, it must speed up the construction of western water diversion project and promote the transformation of the second granary of medium and low yield farmland while grasping the first granary in high-yield farmland areas, so as to tap the production potential of China's agriculture, ensure China's food security and drive the sustainable development and green development of China's economy and the construction of ecological civilization.