January 18, 2010

China to tackle global warming threats to agriculture

As climate change imperils China's agricultural sector, there is a need for the government and farmers to tackle it in a scientific and systematic way.

Climate change has posed numerous threats to the traditional farming sector, and extreme weather conditions, such as droughts, floods, hailstorm, tropical storms, have ruined harvests far more often than before, Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture Niu Dun said.

The Chinese government would help farmers and fishermen create a sustainable mode of production by applying new technologies with lower costs and lower emissions, Niu said.

The government will increase investment of agricultural projects and impart more scientific knowledge and climate-friendly concepts to farmers, he added.

He cited examples of agricultural assistance, such as providing farmers with quality seeds, machinery and advanced technologies. All these could help cut down losses caused by climate change and improve rural living standards, Niu said.

China has set the new target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the GDP by 40-45% by 2020 from the 2005 level, he stated.