Source: Nico HeerinkAfter extensive consultations with senior Chinese agricultural policymakers and researchers, IFPRI selected the following priorities for its research:
This research topic will focus on policy options for passing along the benefits of evolving global markets and more integrated food supply chains to Chinese small farmers. The research will encompass the possibilities for income diversification in western China, institutional bottlenecks in land and other factor markets, the rise of supermarkets and agribusinesses, and the potential of public-private partnership in agricultural research and development.
China’s rapid growth has severely damaged its natural resources in several regions. This research topic will focus on the linkages between natural resource degradation and poverty, the impact of agricultural growth on environmental pollution, and the policy options for dealing with water and land scarcity.
Large numbers of the rural population and the rural migrants living in big cities do not have access to an adequate social security system. This lack makes them highly vulnerable to accidents, diseases, and other shocks. This research topic will focus on the potential use of social safety nets for rural residents and rural migrants as a means of coping with risk and vulnerability.
China’s regional disparities show up strikingly in its food consumption and nutrition patterns. Malnutrition and undernutrition are still predominant problems in rural China, whereas obesity and diet-related diseases are expanding exponentially in urban areas. Research on this topic will examine the patterns and causes of poor nutrition and identify appropriate policy solutions.