Urban jobs lure farmers off fields

By 2030, the world's demand for food is expected to increase by 30 to 40 percent above current levels, setting the stage for a food shortage crisis. China could suffer enormously during such a catastrophe. About 20 years ago, American scholar Lester Brown discussed such a crisis in his book Who Will Feed China?

Yet, the forecasts of previous decades have not come to pass. Food production in many parts of the world, including China, has been growing while prices have been declining. Since reform and opening-up, China's population has increased by 45 percent. Its food production has also expanded by 60 percent, even though arable land area has been decreasing. Two factors have collided to support the country's food supply. First, the international market enables countries to exchange their products and supplement their needs. Second, technological improvements have enhanced farming efficiency and harvest results.

China is unlikely to experience a large-scale food crisis, but this doesn't mean its farming sector is free of problems. The most urgent issue is that farmers are becoming more inclined to work in cities rather than till their fields in the countryside. Authorities need to improve farmers' livelihoods by lowering farming costs and increasing agricultural earnings.