China Contributes to Global Food Security

China’s Consul-General in Lagos, Ambassador Chu Maoming says a recent report in some Western countries accusing China of “hoarding grains” in the international market and demanding more actions from China for global food security is far from the truth.

He said China stood as the world’s largest grain producer and third largest grain exporter the capability and confidence of being self-reliant in securing her own food supply.

“I must point out that the Chinese government always attaches great importance to the issue of food security. China follows a vision on food security that is centered on “self-sufficiency in grain supply and absolute security of staple grains”. The year 2021 marks the seventh consecutive year that China secured an annual grain production of over 650 million tonnes.”

Amb. Maoming noted that China had managed to feed one fifth of the world’s population with a quarter of the world’s total food production on less than 9% of the world’s arable land.

“This achievement is in itself a significant contribution to world food security. In the meantime, China has shown its responsibility as a major country and made positive contributions to ensuring global food security. Under the Global Development Initiative put forward by China, food security is one of the eight priority areas of cooperation. China will mobilize efforts from all parties across the globe to draw on each other’s advantages, and pool the strength for achieving all sustainable development goals including food security.”

He pointed out that China had always been an important strategic partner of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in South-South cooperation and had donated $130 million to the FAO’s South-South Cooperation Programme.

“China has sent a large number of experts and technical personnel to countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and to Pacific Island Countries. China has donated the largest amount of fund, sent the most experts, and undertaken the most projects under the framework of the FAO’s South-South Cooperation Programme among all developing countries.”

The Consul General said since the start of COVID-19, China had responded actively to the appeal of the United Nations and other international organizations by providing emergency food assistance to many countries. China’s contribution to stabilizing world food production and supply has been widely praised by the international community. 

“Besides, China actively advocates reducing food loss and food waste. If the world can reduce food loss by one percentage point, we can save up to 28 million tonnes of food that is enough to feed 70 million people. President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of food conservation on many occasions. In 2021, China held the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste, which received warm response from the international community including G20 member states,” Amb. Chu noted.

He urged relevant countries to reduce food waste, fulfill their due international obligations and shoulder more international responsibilities.