Press Conference Materials for the State Council Information Office

Remarks by Vice Minister of Agriculture Zhang Taolin at the Press Conference of the State Council Information Office

April 14, 2015

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends from the press,

Good Morning!

Agricultural resource environment provides the material base for agricultural production and plays a fundamental role for the quality and safety of agricultural products. At present, our agricultural resource environment is facing double pressure from both exogenous and endogenous pollution, which presents an increasing challenge to sustainable agricultural development. On the one hand, pollution from manufacturing and mining sectors and domestic pollution transferred to agriculture decreases the quality of agricultural environment and makes pollution more aggravated. On the other hand, agricultural nonpoint source pollution from agricultural production is worsening because of chronic improper use and overuse of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and pesticide, and inappropriate disposal of agricultural wastes such as animal excretion, straw and agricultural films left in the field. All these facts have increased the risk of soil and water pollution as well as the quality and safety of agricultural products.

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council pay great attention to agricultural nonpoint source pollution control. As General Secretary Xi Jinping stated, we shall work hard on agricultural nonpoint source pollution control to make sure that we will not develop agriculture at the expense of new ecological environmental pollution, instead we shall gradually succeed in resolving the existing pollution problem. The No.1 Central Document this year made special arrangements for strengthening agricultural ecological governance, with an emphasis on increasing efforts to control agricultural nonpoint source pollution. In the Report on the Work of the Government, major tasks were also identified to deal with agricultural nonpoint source pollution.

In view of the importance of agricultural nonpoint source pollution control in promoting agricultural sustainability in China, agricultural authorities at all levels have followed the instructions from the central leadership and continued to enhance efforts in prevention and control of agricultural nonpoint source pollution by promoting the application of resource-efficient and environmentally-friendly technology for agricultural production, and developing modern ecological circular agriculture. Encouraging headway has been made. However, due to the large scale of wide-ranging and complex agricultural nonpoint source pollution, as we started late in reducing the pollution, we are still facing with daunting challenges in carrying out comprehensive pollution prevention and control. The situation is by no means optimistic.

To comprehensively improve agricultural nonpoint source pollution control, MOA took into account the reality in our work, sought balance between protection and development, considered both immediate and long-term concerns, and coordinated prevention and control efforts, when we formulated the Opinions on Taking Measures to Prevent and Control Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution. In this document, priorities are clearly set to strengthen organization and leadership as well as implementation, improve the legal framework, policy measures, surveillance and early warning, and enhance science and technology support, awareness campaign as well as engagement of the general public. Our goal is, for short, to realize “one control, two reductions, and three basics” by 2020, to effectively ensure national food security, quality and safety of agricultural products and ecological security of agricultural environment, and to promote a coordinated development of agricultural and rural production, rural lives and ecological environment. “One Control” means that we will control the total quantity of water used in agriculture and water pollution in agriculture. The total quantity of water used in irrigation shall be kept within 372 billion cubic meters while quality of the water shall meet the standard; “Two Reductions” means that the use of fertilizer and pesticide shall be reduced and eventually realize zero growth in application; “Three basics” means that the basic utilization as resources and pollution-free disposal of animal excretion, agricultural films and crop residues.

A long-term issue such as agricultural nonpoint source pollution has its own uniqueness and complexity, which cannot be fully resolved overnight, and requires constant efforts over the long run. In this process, agricultural authorities shall play their role actively, while the participation and support from related departments and the whole society is also necessary. It is my sincere hope that our friends from the press could continue to follow and care about the work on prevention and control of agricultural nonpoint source pollution. We believe that, with the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and our joint efforts, we will eventually win the victory in this fight against agricultural nonpoint source pollution, making due contribution to promoting sustainable agricultural development, building a beautiful China, and implementing "Five-in-One Initiative".

Now, my colleagues and I are ready to take your questions.