In a groundbreaking study, researchers have identified significant challenges facing crop-livestock integration on the North China Plain, a major agricultural region. Led by Professor Yong Hou from China Agricultural University, this research highlights the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices amid rising environmental concerns.
The study, conducted in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, reveals that the intensification and specialization of agriculture have led to increased efficiency but at a substantial cost to the environment. As chemical fertilizer consumption in China accounts for nearly one-third of the global total, the nitrogen use efficiency remains below 50%. This imbalance has resulted in serious issues, including water eutrophication and air pollution.
Insights from the Research
Collaborating with Wageningen University & Research and Nanjing Agricultural University, the research team surveyed 300 farm households across 30 villages to analyze current agricultural systems. The findings identified six major farm types: grain farms, cash crop farms, mixed farms, commercial farms, small mixed farms, and landless farms.
Grain farms, primarily focused on wheat and maize, struggle with excessive chemical fertilizer application. Landless and mixed farms often depend on imported feed, resulting in high manure production but low application rates on fields. Notably, spatial distribution analysis showed that landless farms are concentrated in Quzhou’s central region, while cash crop farms are prevalent in the northern and southwestern areas. This distribution reflects a troubling decoupling between crop and livestock production systems.
Policy factors significantly contribute to these challenges. The current farmland protection policies and grain subsidies have reinforced the dominance of grain farms. Additionally, the Household Contract Responsibility System (HCRS) has led to land fragmentation, with most farms covering less than one hectare. The outflow of rural labor and an aging workforce have further hindered technological advancement in these agricultural sectors.
Proposed Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture
To address the identified challenges, the study offers several policy recommendations. First, it suggests guiding grain farms to reduce chemical fertilizer use by providing free soil testing services and adjusting fertilizer subsidies. Second, the establishment of manure treatment facilities in livestock and poultry operations is essential to promote manure-feed exchange between crop and livestock farmers.
Additionally, optimizing the regional layout to balance the crop-livestock ratio is critical. This includes developing supporting breeding in major grain-producing areas and planning manure return channels in concentrated breeding regions. By implementing these strategies, the research provides a scientific basis for promoting a greener transition in agriculture across the North China Plain.
Published in the journal Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, this study not only sheds light on the pressing issues within China’s agricultural landscape but also presents methodologies applicable to other regions. The goal is clear: to achieve a sustainable balance between agricultural productivity and ecological protection.
