Long abstract

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This new OECD publication contains a set of expert papers on how to improve water management in China’s agricultural sector. The Executive Summary (in English and French) captures the essence of discussion and main conclusions from the papers.
China’s leaders face the daunting challenge of feeding the world’s largest population with limited resources. China’s per capita endowment of arable land is low and water scarcity is of particular concern. Not only is China’s endowment of water resources extremely low, but it is also badly distributed, with the North China Plain having one of the lowest per capita endowments in the world. The serious water shortage is exacerbated by poor efficiency in its use and contradictions in the way water is allocated and managed. Water pollution is contributing to water shortages as well as increasing the cost of provision of water for agriculture.