On 28 August 2026, China adopted a new Farmland Protection Law, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding agricultural land and strengthening national food security. The legislation, which will enter into force on 1 January 2027, introduces stricter requirements for farmland preservation, strengthens government accountability, and promotes the use of advanced technologies to monitor agricultural land.
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A central objective of the law is to maintain China's longstanding farmland protection threshold of 1.8 billion mu (approximately 120 million hectares). This so-called “red line” aims to prevent the conversion of cultivated land to non-agricultural uses, particularly urban and industrial development. Under the new framework, farmland is primarily reserved for agricultural production, including grains, vegetables, cotton, oilseeds, sugar crops, and animal feed.
The legislation also introduces stronger accountability mechanisms for local authorities, linking farmland protection and food security performance to official evaluations. This approach seeks to address persistent challenges associated with illegal land conversion and competing economic development priorities. In parallel, the law encourages the use of satellite remote sensing, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and cloud computing to improve farmland monitoring, identify unauthorized land-use changes, and support more systematic enforcement.
Beyond preventing land conversion, China is investing in improving agricultural land quality and productivity. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the country has already developed more than one billion mu of high-standard farmland, incorporating improvements in irrigation, drainage, and agricultural infrastructure. The government aims to increase this figure to 1.35 billion mu by 2030, reflecting a broader strategy to strengthen agricultural productivity and resilience.
The adoption of the new law highlights the growing recognition that farmland protection is essential to long-term food security. While the legislation primarily focuses on land preservation and governance, its implementation also offers opportunities to strengthen sustainable soil management and agricultural monitoring.
Protecting farmland from conversion represents only one dimension of agricultural resilience. Maintaining productive soils over time also requires attention to soil degradation, nutrient management, and the accumulation of contaminants, including heavy metals. Integrating these considerations into broader agricultural policies can help ensure that protected farmland remains productive and safe for future generations.
China's approach illustrates how clear land protection objectives, stronger institutional accountability, and technology-based monitoring can contribute to sustainable agricultural development. Combined with effective soil health management and pollution prevention, these measures can support more resilient food systems and the long-term preservation of agricultural resources.
More information available at: https://www.global-agriculture.com/global-agriculture/china-adopts-new-farmland-protection-law-to-safeguard-1-8-billion-mu-of-cultivated-land/