China, People's Republic of : Remediation of Heavy Metal Contamination in Farmlands of Hunan Province

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agricultural policy, institutional and capacity development - Land-based natural resources management

According to the Survey of National Soil Pollution Status jointly released in 2014 by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Land and Resources, 19.4% of the PRC's farmlands ( an estimated 26 million hectares) is said to be dangerously contaminated. In 2011, excessive levels of the harmful heavy metal cadmium were detected in rice and rice products sold in many PRC provinces. Rice from the central province of Hunan was singled out as especially affected.

Earmarked as the major rice producer for the PRC''s large and increasing population, large areas of Hunan's once-fertile farmlands are currently contaminated due to toxic pollution from the mining industry and other irresponsible industrial practices over the past few decades. In 2013, the Hunan Provincial Agricultural Department (now the Hunan Agricultural Committee) conducted a heavy metal monitoring survey covering 45 counties within the Xiangjiang river basin; and collected samples from 1.8 million mu of rice production area. With reference to cadmium contamination, the survey results indicated that 44% of the 1.8 million mu of rice production areas were categorized as highly contaminated (>0.8 milligram per kilogram); 34% moderately contaminated (0.2 0.8 milligram per kilogram); and 22% without contamination detected. In addition to the contamination from industrial pollution, the generally acidic soil condition is also a contributing factor to the cadmium absorption capacity of rice crops.

From the food safety and public health perspective, the impacts of cadmium on human health have been subject to numerous global research efforts and are well documented. In the PRC, incidence of cadmium-tainted rice as a result of farmland contamination has been reported in academic publications and by the media.

Hunan has also been actively trying to address soil pollution and farmland contamination issues. In March 2011, the State Council approved the Implementation Plan for Heavy Metal Contamination Remediation in Xiangjiang River in Hunan Province. From 2011 to 2013, measures were taken by the province to reduce contamination from polluting industries, including closure, reform, and improvement of environmental practices of heavy metal enterprises.

The most significant recent milestone in the PRC government's combat against soil pollution is the release of the _Soil Ten Plan_ in May 2016, which outlines the comprehensive set of actions to combat soil pollution.

Despite the increasing priority and efforts given by the central and Hunan provincial governments, addressing soil pollution and contaminated farmland remediation continues to face numerous challenges. A key challenge is the lack of innovative and cost-effective technologies, and specific technical guidelines for contaminated farmland remediation. Farmland remediation is new to the PRC; and capacity and knowledge of remediation is also limited and emerging. The absence of an effective and efficient monitoring and early warning system for farmland contamination is another factor that will potentially jeopardize any remediation efforts in arable lands. The absence of a legal and policy framework to deal with farmland contamination is also a stumbling block. Finally, the lack of a financing strategy to support contaminated farmland remediation in Hunan Province also results in the central and Hunan provincial governments having to shoulder almost the entire costs for remediation of contaminated farmlands.

To address some of these key issues, the Hunan Provincial Government has requested the ADB for this TA to strengthen the capacity of provincial- and local-level administration for contaminated farmland remediation, management, and monitoring.

Technical guidelines, operational standards, and recommendations for cost-effective technologies for contaminated farmland remediation prepared.

Strategies for sustainable financing for remediation activities developed.

Knowledge of key stakeholders on contaminated farmland remediation enhanced.