On September 19th, during a press conference hosted by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Natural Resources revealed that since 2021, China’s total arable land has expanded by 17.58 million acres, marking three consecutive years of net growth.

A well-known adage states, “Without grain, people cannot live; without land, grain cannot grow.” This underscores the importance of firmly maintaining the red line of 1.8 billion acres of arable land, a critical threshold for ensuring food stability in China. In alignment with directives from the central government, land protection assessments have been integrated with food safety evaluations, thereby enhancing the accountability of local party committees and governments. The aim to preserve arable land and protect permanent basic farmland has now become a rigid metric, subject to strict evaluations, a one-vote veto power, and lifelong accountability. The primary objective is clear: to unwaveringly uphold the arable land limit, stabilize grain planting areas, and establish a solid foundation for social stability and high-quality economic development.

To bolster farmland protection, effective measures must be put into action. Implementing the “National Land Space Planning Outline (2021-2035)” is essential, prioritizing land conservation while balancing the delineation of three critical control lines: arable land, permanent basic farmland, ecological protection, and urban development boundaries. The allocated total of 1.865 billion acres of arable land and the target of safeguarding 1.546 billion acres of permanent basic farmland have been distributed among individual provinces and regions. Efforts are being made to promote efficient land use, with relevant departments employing land space planning to regulate the scale of new construction, advocate for space-saving techniques and models, and prevent the encroachment of arable land. Additionally, refining the balance system for land occupation and compensation is vital. By following the principle of “compensation for land occupation,” provinces can set the stable net increase of arable land as the ceiling for non-agricultural construction in the upcoming year, maintaining a dynamic balance in total arable land. A series of stringent and effective measures have proven instrumental in safeguarding farmland.

Thriving fields foster hopes for bountiful harvests, and the emphasis on high-standard farmland construction is equally significant. This initiative serves not only as a livelihood project but also addresses public interest, directly impacting farmers’ welfare. This year, the central government has increased the average subsidy for high-standard farmland construction from 1,300 yuan to 2,400 yuan per acre, providing crucial financial support to improve farmland quality. Relevant departments are working diligently to ensure construction standards are met by rigorously overseeing the selection, bidding, material sourcing, construction, and acceptance phases, guaranteeing that every acre developed is fertile. By the end of 2023, over 1 billion acres of high-standard farmland have been established nationwide, along with more than 10 million kilometers of various irrigation and drainage channels, and over 27 million small-scale agricultural water conservancy facilities, significantly enhancing the resilience of farmland against disasters. Various regions are also proactively utilizing existing resources while implementing an economic incentive and penalty mechanism for land protection, ensuring that localities benefiting from farmland protection do not suffer losses and that farmers involved in protecting arable land enjoy tangible rewards, thereby bolstering grain production to exceed 1.3 trillion pounds.

Effectively safeguarding arable land resources also depends on strict enforcement measures. National natural resource inspection agencies have conducted farmland protection inspections for six consecutive years, issuing directives to provincial governments for necessary corrections, engaging in discussions with officials from municipalities and counties facing serious violations, and publicly announcing notable cases. Until violations are rectified, associated supplementary arable land indicators in those areas are “frozen.” By consolidating regulatory efforts, enforcing strict laws, and maintaining zero tolerance for illegal construction on arable land, accountability measures are instituted to deter misconduct.

Arable land is the backbone of grain production. It is crucial that party committees and governments at all levels embrace the strategy of storing grain in land, take proactive steps to manage food security, and continuously bolster the foundation for the sustainable development of the nation.