China, People's Republic of : Yangtze River Green Ecological Corridor Comprehensive Agriculture Development

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

The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) has been earmarked as one of the three key growth engines to ensure the future economic development of the People s Republic of China (PRC). The Yangtze River is the third longest river in the world flowing through the eastern, central, and western part of the PRC covering more than 2 million square kilometers and accounting for one-fifth of the country geographically. Nine provinces and two specially-administered cities make up the YREB. Within the PRC, the YREB accounts for over 40% of the entire population and 40% of the freshwater resource; serves as the drinking water resources for 400 million people; provides 60% of total fisheries production; and has 20% of the total wetland area and already contributes about 45% of the country s economic output.

The YREB has benefitted from extensive development over the last 30 years, yet the current economic growth in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin is still considered below its potential capacity. Three key drivers that are considered crucial to promote further economic growth include: (i) strengthening of sustainable agriculture practices and ecological protection; (ii) transformation and greening of the key production sectors; and (iii) expanded development of inland water ways. These drivers are still constrained due to: (i) limited overall institutional coordination for strategic planning for the YREB; (ii) significant regional disparity between the highly developed eastern reaches of the YREB and the subregions of the central and western reaches; and (iii) increasing environmental pollution and pressure on natural resources.

Agricultural production systems, considered as a key for ensuring economic growth and providing livelihood income for a large part of the rural population in the YREB, are still not sustainable. Improper use of land and water resources, land conversion, inadequate agricultural extension services, excessive fertilizer and pesticide use, rapid expansion of intensive livestock production, and improper waste management and disposal practices all result in increasing concerns about nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Impacts include excessive levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and pesticide entering into water bodies and soils through agricultural chemical runoff, soil erosion, floods, landslides, reduced water quality, reduced land productivity, desertification, and loss of biodiversity. Agriculture accounts for 92% of the nitrogen discharged into the Yangtze River and large levels of sedimentation. Agricultural NPS pollution has a negative impact on farm productivity, human health, quality of natural resources, and sustainable economic development of the YREB.

The national and local governments are proactively trying to address pollution concerns and establish modern farming production systems. Most of the focus has been on reducing pollution identified from single localized sources (point source pollution) such as manufacturing and industry; however, new emphasis has been placed on developing measures to reduce all sources of pollution including agricultural NPS pollution. With heightened understanding about the impact of environmental degradation and emphasis on the new normal to promote economic development with environmental protection and rehabilitation, the State Council in April 2014 issued guidelines to stimulate economic development of the Yangtze River Basin in parallel with promoting sustainable natural resource use and protection and applying stricter control over pollution along the river. The National Development and Reform Commission subsequently prepared the YREB Development Plan 2016 2030, to promote environmental protection, rehabilitation, and management of water resources and strengthen green development. Modernizing the agriculture sector and reducing agriculture-related NPS pollution are key features of these key development strategies.