Ministry of Agriculture – Deepening the Initiative to Achieve Zero Growth in Fertilizer Use

On March 30, 2016, the Ministry of Agriculture convened responsible officials from the agricultural departments of 17 provinces to discuss the work plan for 2016, outlining three key measures to ensure “zero growth” in fertilizer use:

I. Strengthen farmland quality and pursue a “dual‑pronged” approach to enhance quality while reducing inputs. Implement the strategy of “ensuring food security through land,” accelerate the development of high-standard farmland, and encourage localities to pool relevant project funds to expedite the construction of a batch of such fields that can reliably deliver stable yields regardless of drought or flood conditions. Vigorously carry out initiatives to protect and improve farmland quality, undertaking comprehensive remediation of degraded farmland, preventing and controlling soil contamination, and enhancing soil fertility. Successfully implement the Northeast Black Soil Protection and Sustainable Use Project and the Comprehensive Remediation Project for Heavy‑Metal‑Contaminated Farmland in Hunan, refine technical models and institutional mechanisms, and gradually expand their scope of application.

II. Develop and utilize organic fertilizer resources, and implement “subtraction” to replace chemical fertilizers. Increase support to encourage and guide farmers to apply more organic fertilizers. Support large-scale livestock enterprises in producing organic fertilizers from livestock and poultry manure, promote the integrated model of large-scale farming, biogas production, and socialized slurry removal and fertilizer distribution, and assist farmers in composting farmyard manure and applying commercial organic fertilizers. Popularize technologies such as straw crushing and returning to the field, rapid composting and return, and animal‑digestion‑based nutrient cycling, and develop multifunctional machinery capable of straw crushing, application of composting agents, soil tillage, and land leveling. Make full use of the favorable soil, water, light, and heat conditions in southern regions during winter fallow periods and in fruit and tea gardens, and promote the cultivation of green manure crops. In areas where conditions permit, guide farmers to apply rhizobium inoculants to enhance nitrogen fixation by leguminous crops, thereby enriching the soil.

III. Promote integrated technological innovation to achieve synergistic efficiency gains and reduce inputs. Deeply implement soil-testing‑based, formula‑guided fertilization, with a focus on the application of formulated fertilizers, targeting corn, vegetables, and fruit trees as priority crops, and leveraging cooperation between agricultural enterprises and new types of agricultural business entities as entry points. Select 200 counties to carry out pilot projects aimed at reducing fertilizer use while enhancing its efficiency. In line with the principles of integrating agronomic practices with agricultural machinery and coordinating base and topdressing applications, advance site‑specific technologies such as mechanical deep placement of fertilizers, mechanized topdressing, and simultaneous sowing of seeds and fertilizer. Establish 10 demonstration zones for integrated water‑fertilizer technologies, showcasing and promoting techniques like drip‑irrigation fertilization and sprinkler‑irrigation fertilization. Strengthen research, development, and dissemination of high‑efficiency, next‑generation fertilizers, including controlled‑release fertilizers, water‑soluble fertilizers, biofertilizers, and soil conditioners.