Recent research highlights the significant challenges and opportunities in integrating crop and livestock systems in China. A study led by Professor Yong Hou from China Agricultural University, in collaboration with researchers from Wageningen University & Research and Nanjing Agricultural University, focuses on Quzhou County in Hebei Province, revealing insights into current farming practices and potential improvements for sustainable agricultural development.
China’s agricultural landscape has undergone rapid specialization and intensification over recent decades. This evolution, influenced by reform policies, has improved production efficiency but has also resulted in environmental challenges. For instance, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and a low utilization rate of livestock and poultry manure have contributed to serious issues such as water eutrophication and air pollution, particularly in the North China Plain, a crucial grain-producing region.
Understanding Current Agricultural Practices
The study, published in the journal Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, utilized household surveys and spatial analysis to assess the characteristics and distribution of agricultural systems in Quzhou County. A total of 300 farm households from 30 villages across ten townships were randomly selected for the research. Through hierarchical cluster analysis, six major farm types were identified: grain farms, cash crop farms, mixed farms, commercial farms, small mixed farms, and landless farms.
Predominantly, grain farms focused on wheat and maize cultivation grapple with the pressing issue of high chemical fertilizer application. Meanwhile, landless and mixed farms heavily depend on imported feed, leading to significant manure production but low rates of field application. The spatial analysis revealed distinct patterns, with landless farms concentrated in the central region and cash crop farms primarily located in the northern and southwestern areas. This distribution reflects a troubling separation between crop and livestock production systems.
Policy Recommendations for Improvement
The research underscores the impact of policy factors on the current agricultural landscape. For example, farmland protection policies and grain subsidies have reinforced the dominance of grain farms. Furthermore, the Household Contract Responsibility System (HCRS) has resulted in land fragmentation, with many farms spanning less than one hectare. The outflow and aging of rural labor have also hindered technological advancements in farming.
To address these challenges, the study proposes several policy recommendations. First, it suggests guiding grain farms to reduce chemical fertilizer usage through free soil testing services and adjusted fertilizer subsidies. Second, strengthening manure treatment facilities in livestock and poultry farms is critical to enhancing manure-feed exchange between crop and livestock farmers. Finally, optimizing the regional layout could balance the crop-livestock ratio, such as developing breeding support in major grain-producing regions or planning manure return channels in areas with concentrated livestock operations.
This research forms a scientific basis for promoting a greener agricultural transition in the North China Plain. The methodologies employed could be adapted to other regions, supporting the dual objectives of enhancing agricultural efficiency and ecological protection.
