黑土地保护法来了！像保护眼睛一样呵护我们的黑土粮仓

A day before National Land Day on June 25, China’s top legislature passed the Law on the Protection of Black Soil, aiming to boost the sustainable use of land resources and ensure national food security.

The fertile black soil in Northeast China is one of three major humus-rich regions around the world. An essential agricultural production base, the black soil region produces about a quarter of the country’s grain. 

However, intensive cultivation and the effects of wind and water erosion have resulted in decreasing thickness and organic matter of the black soil. In the past 60 years, the organic matter in the soil has decreased by between one-third and one-half in some areas.

The law stipulates that black soil should be used in the production of grain, sugar, oil crops, vegetables and other agricultural produce. 

No organization or individual is permitted to damage black soil resources or the environment, and illegal digging or trading of black soil is prohibited, according to the law.

Techniques used to protect black soil, such as the Lishu and Longjiang models, have been included I the nation’s protection plan from 2021 to 2025. 

Field experiments over the past few decades have proved the effectiveness of the Lishu model－ returning maize straw to farmland in the form of mulch－in improving the quality of black soil in Lishu county, located in Siping, Jilin province. 

The two models have shown positive results in increasing yields, according to a white paper released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yet promotion of the techniques still faces challenges as related machinery and subsidies are not in place and farmers cannot achieve immediate benefits.

Yue Zhongming, an official from the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission, said science and technology, including agricultural techniques and machinery, should support black soil protection.

“The law emphasized that the protection of black soil should be included in the national economic and social development plan, and the financial investment should be guaranteed,” he said.

The law was adopted at the closing meeting of the 35th Standing Committee session of the 13th NPC and will take effect on Aug 1.

记者：赵伊梦