Strategies for sustainable nutrient management: Insights from a mixed natural and social science analysis of Chinese crop production systems

Bellarby, Jessica; Siciliano, Giuseppina; Smith, Laurence; Xin, Lai; Zhou, Jianbin; Liu, Kun; Jie, Li; Meng, Fanqiao; Inman, Alex; Rahn, Clive; Surridge, Ben; Haygarth, Philip

Abstract

In China intensification of agriculture has been achieved at a cost to the environment. The extension service is the leading public resource to address this but remains focused by a historic national ethos for food security, production and economic growth, whilst its administrative structure is hierarchical, slow to change and lacking in relevant functional integration. Investigation of three case study farming systems identifies how to rebalance productivity with stewardship of farm inputs and natural resources. Substance flow analyses for each case demonstrate that crop nutrient management can potentially be improved to reduce environmental risk without yield loss. Complementary stakeholder surveys and social network analyses identify barriers to change relating to the knowledge, attitudes, practices and operational constraints of farmers and extension agents, and to the structure and performance of agricultural knowledge and innovation systems. This combination of analyses offers an original synthesis of needs, planning priorities and strategies.

Citation

Bellarby, J., Siciliano, G., Smith, L., Xin, L., Zhou, J., Liu, K., Jie, L., Meng, F., Inman, A., Rahn, C., Surridge, B., & Haygarth, P. (2017). Strategies for sustainable nutrient management: Insights from a mixed natural and social science analysis of Chinese crop production systems. Environmental Development, 21, 52-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2016.10.008

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 25, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Nov 12, 2016
• Publication Date: Mar 15, 2017
• Deposit Date: Dec 29, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 29, 2016
• Journal: Environmental Development
• Print ISSN: 2211-4645
• Electronic ISSN: 2211-4653
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Pages: 52-65
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2016.10.008
• Additional Information: Additional Information : Accepted version of an article published online by Elsevier 12 November 2016 available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2016.10.008