Publication: Toward a Greener China: A Review of Recent Agricultural Support Policies and Public Expenditures
Loading...
Published
2022
ISSN
Date
2023-01-10
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
In recent decades, the Chinese government has placed great importance on developing agriculture and rural areas, adopting policies, and increasing public expenditures targeting these. China’s agricultural policies and support mechanisms have evolved, responding to emerging challenges and reflecting shifts in broader national policy and strategic efforts. These interventions had a modest impact on grain production and provided a more significant boost to rural incomes yet gave rise to significant market distortions and unintended consequences. The composition and patterns of public expenditures for agriculture reflect this dynamic evolution and changing priorities concerning the development of China’s agriculture and rural areas. This report analyses in some depth the changing scale and structure of pertinent public expenditures and briefly synthesizes the available evidence regarding the efficacy of certain expenditures (and the policies to which they are connected). Among the major observations made in the report regarding agriculture-related public expenditures are the following: first, the central and local governments have allocated considerable resources over the past two decades to support agricultural and rural development. Second, the composition of public expenditure classified as agriculture, forestry, and water conservancy (AFW) has changed dramatically in recent years. Third, the public expenditure involving direct support for agriculture peaked in 2015 and has since declined, while public expenditure on general support services has increased and diversified. Fourth, public eco-environmental expenditures have increased considerably and taken on a wide range of different forms. Finally, spatial differences in public expenditures supporting AFW and green agricultural development are worth noting and require additional attention, given the increasing dominance of local governments in delivering agricultural programs and investments.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2022. Toward a Greener China: A Review of Recent Agricultural Support Policies and Public Expenditures. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/38446 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Towards Sustainable Management of Natural and Built Capital for a Greener, Diversified, and Resilient Economy(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06-30)Mongolia is endowed with rich natural resources, including its vast pastureland, unspoiled nature, and world-class mineral deposits. However, despite the strategic opportunities, Mongolia’s economy is characterized by its heavy reliance on mining, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, poor livestock farming, unplanned urban development, and poor infrastructure connectivity with associated urban congestion and higher cost of infrastructure services. The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic further exacerbates the challenges that Mongolia faces to achieve its medium- and long-term goals. This policy note identifies four key priority reform areas towards sustainable management of natural and built capital for a greener, diversified, and resilient economy.Publication Towards a Greener Economy in Uzbekistan(Washington, DC, 2022-08)This report is an extended Country Environmental Assessment that identifies key issues and priorities for action as Uzbekistan transitions to a sustainable and inclusive market economy. Land degradation, water stress, and air pollution from particulate matter are the main environmental issues, with additional socio-economic risks to the country from its high energy and carbon intensity and the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. The report analyzes strategies for greening the economic transition, including resource efficiency and landscape restoration, the low-carbon transition, resilience against natural disasters and climate change, urban air quality and sustainable cities, green employment and public institutions, and green finance. Additional follow-up studies to inform detailed policy formulation and action include distributional analysis, adaptation strategy and planning, a Long-Term Decarbonization Strategy, and Climate Change Institutional Assessment, among others.Publication Turkey Green Growth Policy Paper : Towards a Greener Economy(Washington, DC, 2013-04)The report is organized in seven chapters. Following the introductory chapter, chapter two sets the stage by reviewing the structure of Turkey's economy and its performance, as well as the challenges and opportunities provided by Turkey's current growth path from implementing a 'green agenda' linked to achieving standards set by European Union (EU) Directives and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) principles; this is followed by a review of where Turkey stands compared to developed and emerging economies, in terms of what is broadly understood as a comprehensive approach to green growth. Chapter three uses a narrower, more operational, definition of green growth for the purposes of the analysis undertaken in the policy note. Chapter four presents an assessment of the seven strategic sectors selected for a more focused analysis. It also highlights the greening potential within these sectors. Chapter five reviews the range of policy instruments available in the European Union (EU) and other emerging international experiences, as well as the relevance of these policy options to the objectives of the policy note. Chapter six presents the economy-wide framework and the results of the pilot economic 'impact analysis' of two types of greening scenarios: an urban scenario (linked to production and consumption by firms and households) and a rural scenario focused on agriculture. Finally, chapter seven concludes with an initial set of recommendations.Publication Toward Universal Financial Inclusion in China(World Bank and People's Bank of China, 2018-02)China has achieved remarkable success in financial inclusion. China’s rate of account ownership – a basic metric of financial inclusion – has increased significantly in the past two decades and is now on par with that of other G-20 countries. Traditional financial service providers have dramatically increased the reach of the formal financial sector, including through the world’s largest agent banking network. China has also been an established leader in the fintech revolution, with new technology-driven providers transforming how millions of Chinese consumers make payments, borrow, save, invest, and insure themselves against risk. This report examines in detail China’s approach to financial inclusion over the past 15 years. The report benchmarks China’s progress against peer economies and analyzes key developments and factors in China’s financial inclusion experience. The report also outlines remaining challenges to achieving further advances in financial inclusion in China, and distills key lessons policymakers from other countries can learn from China’s experience. The report was written jointly by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and the World Bank Group.Publication Toward a Healthy and Harmonious Life in China(Washington, DC, 2011)China's 12th five-year plan (2011-2015) aims to promote inclusive, equitable growth and development by placing an increased emphasis on human development. Good health is an important component of human development, not only because it makes people's lives better, but also because having a healthy and long life enhances their ability to learn, acquire skills, and contributes to society. Indeed, good health is a fundamental right of every human being. Good health among a population can also enhance economic performance by improving labor productivity and reducing economic losses that arise from illnesses. The findings and recommendations can inform and promote a broad dialogue toward the development of a multisectoral response to effectively address the growing burden of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including a better alignment of the health system with the population's health needs. The report also advocates implementing 'health in all' policies and actions for a multisectoral response to NCDs in China to help achieve the ultimate goal of 'harmonious' development and growth.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Carbon Pricing in the Power Sector(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-09-09)The number of countries that have announced some type of commitment to net zero emissions has increased very rapidly in recent years, from five in 2018 to over 145 in 2023. Middle and low-income countries must therefore consider policies to both grow and decarbonize their power sectors. A growing number of them are considering carbon pricing instruments (CPIs). However, the path to implementing carbon pricing is fraught with challenges, including financing obstacles, the urgent need to boost supply, and social priorities different from those of more advanced economies with more carbon pricing experience. This report delves deep into the power sector value chain dynamics, demonstrating how well-designed carbon pricing instruments can be instrumental in helping countries reach their decarbonization goals. Focusing on how decisions are made in diverse power sector models in several developing countries, this report establishes that the CPI must be carefully positioned at the right regulation point in the power sector’s value chain—rather than merely adding a burden for the sector. Getting it right can influence everything from power generation options to investment decisions and customers’ behaviors.Publication Regional Poverty and Inequality Update Latin America and the Caribbean(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-20)This brief summarizes the main trends related to poverty and inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) using the latest round of harmonized household surveys from the Socio-Economic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean (SEDLAC) created by the World Bank and the Centro de Estudios Distributivos, Laborales y Social (CEDLAS). This brief was produced by the Poverty and Equity Global Practice in the Latin America and Caribbean Region of the World Bank.Publication Latin America and the Caribbean(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-05-23)This edition of the Macro Poverty Outlooks periodical contains country-by-country forecasts and overviews for GDP, fiscal, debt and poverty indicators for the developing countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Macroeconomic indicators such as population, gross domestic product and gross domestic product per capita, and where available, other indicators such as primary school enrollment, life expectancy at birth, total greenhouse gas emissions and inflation, among others, are included for each country. In addition to the World Bank’s most recent forecasts, key conditions and challenges, recent developments and outlook are briefly described for each country in the region.Publication Commodity Markets Outlook, April 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-29)Commodity prices are set to fall sharply this year, by about 12 percent overall, as weakening global economic growth weighs on demand. In 2026, commodity prices are projected to reach a six-year low. Oil prices are expected to exert substantial downward pressure on the aggregate commodity index in 2025, as a marked slowdown in global oil consumption coincides with expanding supply. The anticipated commodity price softening is broad-based, however, with more than half of the commodities in the forecast set to decrease this year, many by more than 10 percent. The latest shocks to hit commodity markets extend a so far tumultuous decade, marked by the highest level of commodity price volatility in at least half a century. Between 2020 and 2024, commodity price swings were frequent and sharp, with knock-on consequences for economic activity and inflation. In the next two years, commodity prices are expected to put downward pressure on global inflation. Risks to the commodity price projections are tilted to the downside. A sharper-than-expected slowdown in global growth—driven by worsening trade relations or a prolonged tightening of financial conditions—could further depress commodity demand, especially for industrial products. In addition, if OPEC+ fully unwinds its voluntary supply cuts, oil production will far exceed projected consumption. There are also important upside risks to commodity prices—for instance, if geopolitical tensions worsen, threatening oil and gas supplies, or if extreme weather events lead to agricultural and energy price spikes.Publication Digital Africa(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-03-13)All African countries need better and more jobs for their growing populations. "Digital Africa: Technological Transformation for Jobs" shows that broader use of productivity-enhancing, digital technologies by enterprises and households is imperative to generate such jobs, including for lower-skilled people. At the same time, it can support not only countries’ short-term objective of postpandemic economic recovery but also their vision of economic transformation with more inclusive growth. These outcomes are not automatic, however. Mobile internet availability has increased throughout the continent in recent years, but Africa’s uptake gap is the highest in the world. Areas with at least 3G mobile internet service now cover 84 percent of Africa’s population, but only 22 percent uses such services. And the average African business lags in the use of smartphones and computers as well as more sophisticated digital technologies that catalyze further productivity gains. Two issues explain the usage gap: affordability of these new technologies and willingness to use them. For the 40 percent of Africans below the extreme poverty line, mobile data plans alone would cost one-third of their incomes—in addition to the price of access devices, apps, and electricity. Data plans for small- and medium-size businesses are also more expensive than in other regions. Moreover, shortcomings in the quality of internet services—and in the supply of attractive, skills-appropriate apps that promote entrepreneurship and raise earnings—dampen people’s willingness to use them. For those countries already using these technologies, the development payoffs are significant. New empirical studies for this report add to the rapidly growing evidence that mobile internet availability directly raises enterprise productivity, increases jobs, and reduces poverty throughout Africa. To realize these and other benefits more widely, Africa’s countries must implement complementary and mutually reinforcing policies to strengthen both consumers’ ability to pay and willingness to use digital technologies. These interventions must prioritize productive use to generate large numbers of inclusive jobs in a region poised to benefit from a massive, youthful workforce—one projected to become the world’s largest by the end of this century.