Innovative land management revives China’s black soil as it serves a significant role in global ‘food basket’ due to its high productivity.
A groundbreaking land management approach is being implemented across Northeast China to rejuvenate its valuable and fertile black soil.
Recognized for its dark, nutrient-rich topsoil, black soil plays a crucial role as a global “food basket” due to its high organic carbon content and exceptional productivity. It accounts for 25 percent of China’s grain production and one-third of its total grain output, making it a key factor in ensuring national food security.
Over time, however, unsustainable land management practices and excessive use of chemical fertilizers have led to the degradation of China’s black soil.
Jia Zhongjun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), emphasized the slow formation process of black soil, noting that it takes hundreds of years to develop a 1-centimeter-thick layer under natural conditions.
To combat this degradation, Jia and other experts have introduced innovative land management strategies aimed at restoring and preserving black soil.
These efforts were recognized in January when the new land management models received the 2024 Outstanding Scientific and Technological Achievement Award from CAS.
Jia highlighted that this recognition reflects decades of dedicated research in soil sciences and significant contributions to a comprehensive understanding of black soil conservation under various land-use conditions.
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