China

Project overview

China’s agrifood systems play an important role in national and global food security. The country is a major producer of staple crops and aquatic products, and its food systems support the livelihoods of a large rural population while supplying domestic and international markets.

At the same time, agricultural production in China faces a range of sustainability challenges. These include pressures on soil quality, water resources and biodiversity, as well as greenhouse gas emissions associated with intensive production systems. Climate change is further increasing risks to food production through more frequent extreme weather events, pests and diseases. Food loss and waste across the supply chain also contribute to environmental pressures and resource inefficiencies.

The project supports China’s efforts to advance ecological, low-carbon and climate-resilient agrifood systems, in line with national strategies and policies for green agricultural development. It addresses systemic barriers to transformation by strengthening policy and institutional frameworks, improving value chains and access to finance, and enhancing technical capacity and knowledge management.

By applying a whole-of-food-systems approach, the project integrates crop, livestock and aquaculture systems within selected agricultural landscapes. It aims to improve environmental performance while supporting food security, nutrition and livelihoods. The project is expected to deliver global environmental benefits, including improved management of agricultural landscapes, land restoration, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, conservation of agrobiodiversity, and strengthened resilience, with potential for replication and scaling beyond the project areas.

Read more on The Ecological and Low-Carbon Food Systems in China

Our approach

The project promotes ecological, low-carbon and climate-resilient production systems across the entire food system, from production to consumption.

Activities focus on strengthening enabling policies and planning frameworks; improving integrated landscape and ecosystem management; supporting sustainable value chains, finance and markets; and advancing knowledge, innovation and learning. The project promotes circular production systems that reduce pollution, improve soil health, enhance biodiversity and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

At the field level, the project supports regenerative and resource-efficient practices across cropping, livestock, and aquaculture systems, including improved soil management, integrated pest management, reduced chemical inputs, sustainable aquaculture technologies, and improved water-use efficiency. Capacity building and technical support are provided to farmers, extension services and value chain actors.

The project places strong emphasis on gender equality and social inclusion, with targeted actions to support the participation and empowerment of women and youth throughout agrifood value chains.

Sites

The project is implemented in eight provinces across China’s major food-producing regions: Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning (Northeast Plain); Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (Yellow River basin); Anhui, Hubei and Jiangsu (Yangtze River basin); and Fujian (southeastern coast).