Agriculture in China is believed to have its roots in subsistence farming as it has played a major role in Chinese history and remains vital in the present due to the high population of China and the limited amount of farmland. This specific form of farming has deep cultural roots among the Chinese as it aims to produce the greatest amount of food within small farming dimensions. Discussed below are some of the dominant aspects of agriculture in the region:
Intensive Subsistence Agriculture
This classification describes the high level of input this type of farming relies on with farmers using large amounts of their labour and other traditional means to obtain sufficient yields from the land they farm. This kind of farming sustains the following crops including rice growing this type of farming include:
a. Rice Cultivation
Geographic Distribution: Southern regions of China which are warm and have a humid climate are best suited for rice cultivation. The main subregions in which rice is cultivated are the Yangtze River Basin and Pearl River Delta region.
Techniques: In regions that are characterised by hilly areas, it is possible for farmers to engage in terrace farming so that the available farming area is fully utilised. There is a lot of water management that comes with the use of rice paddies which is common.
Wheat and Maize Cultivation: Agricultural Sector: The northern and central regions of China are wheat and maize as the main crops, these regions are cool and relatively dry.
Usage: Wheat is a key constituent for the preparation of noodles, dumplings, bread while maize is eaten and also feeds animals.
It can be argued that agriculture is the backbone vascular system of the world’s economy, China has no exception in this regard as farmers in this country tend to be more concentrated on a variety of crops especially rice, maize, barley, millet, legumes, rape and sorghum. In addition, 20 million hectares of farmland also yield wheat and maize on a commercial basis.
Raising Farm Animals And Poultry Livestock Farming
Pigs, ducks, and cattle are some of the livestock that all can be easily raised and co-exist with crops in China. This is, of course, easy to manage because a lot of Chinese families consume pork, making China the highest producer of pork worldwide. The Chinese are herders and have pigs in the household.
Aquaculture: Yes, Aquaculture was Present in Islandic, Chinese borders and some of its coastal areas. Yes, as indicated, aquaculture was expected to have a strong influence in China but more in pressing on how efficient and sustainable fisheries, fish, shrimps and even shellfish can be produced in China while enhancing food security in China and the world.
Yes, Challenges and Modern Developments
a. Land Scarcity: Competing with an estimated 20% of the world’s gang over just 10% of global arable land. Hence, loss is never an option and so, planning land effectively and incorporating advanced farming techniques becomes the order of the day.
b. Growth Within the Technological Dependent Sector
Mechanisation: Alongside modernised farming methods, there is also a persistent growth in the replacement of such methods by mechanisation and modern aids.
Green Revolution: Addition to this there has been an increase in the productivity of the farm with the introduction of better seeds, fertilisers and irrigation measures.
c. Rural-Urban Migration and Land Use Management
The rapid growth of urban centres has led to shortage of the already meagre land for agriculture. The preservation of agricultural land and improvement of the living standards of the people in the rural regions has been one of the priority tasks of government agencies.
d. Global Warming and Agriculture Global Warming Trends In Agriculture In The PRC China’s Agriculture Suffers on the Other Hand from Ongoing Global Warming including Extreme Weather, Water Shortage, and Shifted Growing Season.
China’s culture is unique, as well as their methods of cultivation; nevertheless, their approach is still largely based on family self-sufficiency, but gradually incorporates some modern technologies and means to cope with their increasing population. A balance has been formed between the national government and farmers, wherein on one hand, traditional agricultural methods must be maintained, and on the other hand, new agricultural practices must be adopted to drive economic development and ensure national food security. There is a strong focus on staple crops such as rice and wheat, while also moving towards the production of abundant beef and dairy, aquaculture, and horticulture, which demonstrates the strength and flexibility of China’s agricultural system.