Further efforts needed to ensure food security
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-03-07 09:39

In 1994, Lester Brown, an American researcher, proposed the so-called "food crisis in China" in his controversial environmental study "Who Will Feed China?" Brown predicted it would be difficultfor China to feed a growing population.

Xu Jinglong, also an expert in farming, made positive remarks on Brown's prediction, saying food security does not imply that China is not able to feed its population.

"Although the per capita share of cropland is small, the Chinese government is taking a series of measures to protect cropland and stimulate production," Xu said.

According to the government work report, China will pour 339.7 billion yuan (about 42.5 billion U.S. dollars) into the agriculture sector in 2006, 42.2 billion yuan more than 2005.

The booming investment is aimed at further modernizing agriculture, promoting steady growth of grain output and increasing farmers' income from grain growing.

Xing Kezhi, an NPC deputy and vice president of Tianjin Agricultural College in North China, called for promoting agriculture through not only favorable policies but also scientific and technological means.

New developments in agricultural technology will play a key role in ensuring China's food security, Xing said.

Wang Shouchen, an NPC deputy and agricultural official from Jilin Province in Northeast China, noted that the current issue offood security does not merely refer to grain rations.

"It is about the comprehensive security of foodstuffs, agricultural byproducts and even industrial materials which come from grain as raw resources," Wang explained.

Food security is closely related to people's living standard and safety of industrial material, he said, adding that the country should take further measures to promote grain production to guarantee comprehensive food security.

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