ABSTRACT
China is facing two major challenges: food security and water crisis, particularly in the rainfed areas of China where a significant portion of population still live in absolute poverty. Rice is the staple food for most Chinese people and is regarded as a strategic commodity and one of the key components of traditional culture in China. However, rice production consumes 70% of the fresh water used in agriculture, which consumes 80% of the total fresh water resources in China. In other words, water consumption in traditional rice production accounts for near a half of the total fresh water (Padolina 1996). The renewable fresh water endowment per capita in China is about 2,200m3, which is only one fourth of the world average. Half of the area in China receives less than 400mm rainfall per year. Thus, there is a serious water shortage in many parts of China.
