Rotating use of farmland will bring a harvest of new growth

Planting enriching crops and resting the soil can boost sustainability

China announced that the area of farmland designated to cultivate different crops or lay fallow will increase to 2 million hectares this year, 25 percent more than last year, a move that experts said will help promote sustainable agriculture by giving the soil a break to recover from overuse and pollution.

The central government will subsidize 2 million hectares of farmland that will either lie fallow for one year or rotate between corn or soybean, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Wednesday.