On 17
September, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) released a
report on China’s food and nutrition development. The report gives an overview
of the main trends shaping China’s food and nutrition practices in recent
decades and highlights current challenges and solutions.
In the past
four decades, China’s food production has increased significantly, with annual
grain supply reaching 600 kilograms per capita, according to the report. Daily
calory supply has reached 3,400 kcal per person, placing China on par with
middle and high-income countries. The rapid increase in the consumption of
animal products and the diversification of food products are amongst the major
achievements of China’s agricultural development, says the report.
But an
unbalanced dietary structure, including excessive intake of vegetable oils,
salt, and sugar is leading to growing health risks, such as obesity, diabetes,
and micronutrient deficiency. The report also points to the loss of nutrient-rich
foods through processing, packaging, handling, and transport, estimating that China’s
annual nutrient leakage across its food system could meet the nutritional needs
of roughly 190 million people, or close to 14% of the population.
To address
these issues, the report calls on policymakers to promote a more healthy and
low-carbon diet, including the consumption of more coarse grains, aquatic
products, and white meat like poultry. Drawing on the concept of “big food” emphasized
by Xi Jinping at the Two Sessions meeting in March 2022, the report calls for a
transformation towards a nutrition-oriented agrifood system that puts
greater emphasis on balanced diets, the reduction of food waste from farm to
fork, and sustainable agricultural production methods.
The report highlights
the growing emphasis that Chinese policymakers place on nutrition and health,
signaling a shift from the previous mono-dimensional preoccupation with yields
and staple grain production. While the report falls short of recommending a cut
in meat consumption, the shift towards poultry and aquatic products could help
promote health outcomes and reduce pressure on China’s feed grain demand, most
of which the country needs to import from abroad. The transformation towards a
healthier, more sustainable agrifood system should also help reduce
agricultural emissions, says the report, without providing further details on
how this goal could be achieved.
Source:《2022中国食物与营养发展报告》，中国农业科学院智库报告，2022年9月， 北京
