Protecting the fertile black soil

BEIJING - China is deliberating a new law to protect the fertile black soil in its northeastern region. The draft law was submitted for its first reading on Monday at an ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

President Xi Jinping has shown great concern for the protection of the black soil.

The soil is found in China's northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning and in some parts of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and produces about one-quarter of the country's total grain output.

When Xi visited a demonstration zone for green food production in Lishu county, Jilin province in July 2020, he was happy to know that the black soil there was protected with agricultural technologies.

He looked far down on the corn farmland in the demonstration zone. The crops were about to flower, with golden tassels on the top. A dozen drones were hovering over to carry out the spraying operation.

In spite of the scorching sun overhead, Xi walked into the corn field along with local agricultural technicians and took a closer look at the black soil cross section in front of an observation point.

Agricultural expert Li Baoguo, also a professor from China Agricultural University, told Xi that the black soil was originally at least 60 centimeters in thickness, but had been shrunk for 3 millimeters per year by wind- and water-driven erosion since it was reclaimed for growing crops in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

"The black soil would disappear in decades without effective protection measures," Xi said anxiously.

Li introduced a practice of returning corn stover to the farmland for mulching purposes in the demonstration zone. It not only increased the organic matter in soil, but also helped prevent soil erosion and preserve soil moisture.

Xi noted that Li's work was very important. He stressed effective measures to protect the black soil for future generations, saying the soil is as treasurable as giant pandas. "The practice in Lishu county is worth promoting."

He asked experts and scholars to "write research papers on the farmland," helping farmers master advanced agricultural technologies and grow the best food with the best technology.

At an annual central rural work conference last December, Xi again underlined making good use of and well protecting the black soil.