China's geological survey authorities have decided to make a
special "genetic analysis" of the country's 1.55 million square
kilometers of arable land over the next seven years to provide
experts and planners with a scientific blueprint to guide the
country's agricultural development, a senior official said
Wednesday in Beijing.
The project, the first of its kind in terms of scale in the world,
will reveal the soil distribution of nearly 60 chemicals,
especially metal pollutants and chemical fertilizer remnants, which
will assist in determining the most suitable agricultural
activities for specific areas.
Further aiding agricultural development, the results of this
evaluation will contribute to the establishment of a risk
management and evaluation system as well as a long-term monitoring
system for the nation's agricultural environment.
The China Geological Survey (CGS) has already launched the survey
in three provincial regions - East China's Zhejiang
Province, Southwest China's
Sichuan Province and Central China's Hunan
Province, three of China's major agricultural centers.
Experts say the research will provide opportunities for Chinese
agricultural producers to develop pollution-free "green products"
and promote exports.
Vice-Minister of Land and Resources Shou Jiahua said that the
survey is an example of scientific endeavors supporting the
country's economic development.
Shou said that her ministry would also make contributions to
development in traditional fields such as the search for water in
dry western China.
At
the national conference held by CGS Wednesday, the discovery of
50-odd water sources in western China was announced - a find
equivalent to approximately 10 large-scale reservoirs capable of
providing the region with over 10 billion cubic meters of fresh
underground water annually.
(China Daily February 20, 2003)