China boosts emergency food supply in response to climate events

HQ Team

October 17, 2024: Extreme weather conditions and the increasing number of natural disaster events have forced China to take steps to bolster its emergency food supply systems. Liu Huanxin, head of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, emphasized the importance of food preparedness in an interview with the state news agency.

Reinforced food supply measures

China has established over 1,200-grain market information monitoring stations across the country. These stations are crucial for tracking changes in grain inventories, prices, and sales, allowing for the timely identification of potential risks for a population of more than a billion.

In addition to monitoring, all food authorities at provincial, municipal, and county levels have developed contingency plans. As part of these efforts, more than 59,000 emergency food supply outlets are operational nationwide.

Stability amid global fluctuations

Despite recent global fluctuations in food markets, Liu noted that China’s food prices have remained relatively stable. This stability is attributed to several factors: consecutive bumper harvests, sufficient inventories, and effective regulatory measures in the market. The government plans to enhance its minimum grain purchase price policy and utilize its grain reserves to maintain adequate supply and stable prices.

Commitment to food security

With a population exceeding 1.4 billion China has consistently produced over 650 million tonnes of grain annually for the past nine years. Notably, China has achieved self-sufficiency in its staple grains—wheat and rice—ensuring a stable food supply for its vast population.

Challenges from climate change

The urgency of these measures is underscored by the increasing challenges posed by climate change. Recent reports indicate that extreme weather events—such as torrential rains and floods—have adversely affected agricultural productivity across various regions in China. For instance, emergency funding amounting to 238 million yuan (approximately $32.8 million) has been allocated to assist recovery efforts in five provinces impacted by natural disasters.

According to analysts, the frequency of natural disasters has intensified since 2020, significantly impacting staple food production. China has been experiencing unprecedented flooding in recent years, affecting its crop production. Ministry of Water Resources reported that over 120 rivers have experienced floods above warning levels this year alone.

China aims for a 95% self-sufficiency score on staple foods like rice and wheat due to its past historical experiences with shortages and the subsequent socio-economic fallouts of famines and shortages. China has to feed 20% of the world’s population off only 10% of worl’ds aerable land. In comparison, most Western countries opt for trade and imports of grains to fulfil any shortages.

Agricultural productivity challenges

Despite its ambitious self-sufficiency goals, China’s agricultural productivity is lower than that of high-income countries. This discrepancy puts pressure on its food security targets. In contrast, countries like the U.S. benefit from advanced agricultural technologies and practices that enhance productivity per hectare. For example, the U.S. has about 0.48 hectares of arable land per capita compared to China’s 0.08 hectares, highlighting the challenges China faces in feeding its large population.

Climate change, world conflicts, Covid-19 and the constant threat of newer pandemics have played havoc with food security globally. As many as 828 million people, or 10% of the world’s population, suffered from hunger in 2021, and nearly 30% faced moderate or severe food insecurity.

China’s food security strategy is a proactive emergency measure in the face of climate change. Its unique historical legacy and demographic pressures force it to adopt this distinct approach aimed at ensuring stability for its vast population.