Protect farmers against droughts

Low rainfall and scorching heat in recent months have caused severe drought in a number of China's major crop producing regions, some of which are facing the worst drought in over half a century. Concerns about China's food security dominate discussions on the drought, but a more likely threat is the drought's negative impact on the incomes of farmers, especially poor smallholders.

According to recent news reports, severe drought has hit about a dozen provinces and regions in North China and the northeast plains. For example, rainfall levels in Henan province are reported to be about 60 percent of the past two decades' average, the lowest since 1951. This is serious because Henan accounts for 10 percent of China's cereal production, including a quarter of wheat and 9 percent of corn production. Local officials estimate that recent drought conditions are responsible for economic losses of up to 7.3 billion yuan ($1.2 billion), with 97 percent of these losses suffered by the agricultural sector.

Severe drought has also been reported in Northeast China's Liaoning province and North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, which produce about 7 and 9 percent of China's corn. According to the Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, severe drought has affected about 5 million hectares of farmland and left 1.6 million people without adequate water supply.