AR-News: (US IA) China - Agriculture of the Future

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

by: T.C. Tso 
China is experiencing strong economic growth. In 2002, its purchasing power 
parity (PPP), a useful indicator of economic standing, was second only to that 
of the United States. If China maintains its recent 5% annual PPP growth rate, 
and that of the United States stays at 2%, China's PPP will take the lead in 
2023.

With an annual growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of 4%, China's per 
capita GDP in 2050 would equal that of Japan today and attain a level that is 
three-quarters that of present-day United States1. China could surpass these 
levels if it addressed key social issues, such as the rural-urban divide, and 
harnesses the power of science and technology and its natural resources.

Disparities between rural and urban regions and between the east and west of 
China are all too apparent, and have resulted in a growing social gap. 
Currently, 70% of China's enormous population (predicted to reach a peak of 1.6 
billion by 2030; ref. 2) lives in the countryside. Among this 70%, 50% are farmers, 
and 20% are 'mobile' -- they continuously migrate to areas where work is 
available. Those who don't move and instead choose to remain on their farm usually 
find themselves less than fully employed, because of the highly seasonal 
nature of their work. In addition, farmers' incomes are extremely low. 




full story:

http://www.truthabouttrade.org/article.asp?id=1471 
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