Chemicals pose risks

Wang Jingyan, a fruit tree expert at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said pesticide abuse is now rampant in villages, with little consideration being given to the potential risk to human health.

"An excessive amount of chemicals causes cancer (among consumers) and also damages the soil and poses health risks to farmers," he said. "Yet, as plant diseases and agricultural pests become more resistant to chemicals, farmers simply use even greater doses to guarantee their outputs."

China is the world's largest producer and consumer of chemical fertilizer, using more than 50 million metric tons every year, four times the amount in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has found that in Northeast China alone, the average level of organic matter in arable soil, a crucial index in determining crop yield, is 1 to 5 percent, compared with 8 to 10 percent in the 1950s.

"Farmers are just not willing to stop relying on agrochemicals, so it's up to local authorities to provide more education to ensure they do," Wang said.

Sun at Agvalue agreed and said that the lack of professional guidance for farmers is the biggest obstacle to individuals and governments adopting scientific management techniques.

"It's never an easy task to persuade farmers to stop poor farming practices and adopt advanced measures," he added. "But it's always worth trying."

Contact the writer zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn