China's Agricultural Development and Enviromental Sustainability

This course explores the complex relationship between agricultural development and environmental sustainability in China. Designed for students across academic disciplines, it examines how China’s agricultural development over the last 50 years has shaped environmental, health, and food security dynamics. Key topics include the environmental impacts of modern farming practices, land use changes, and resource degradation, alongside pressing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food safety concerns affecting China’s agricultural production paradigm. Through case studies, students will explore policy responses like “rural revitalization” as well as bottom-up initiatives aimed at mitigating these issues. The course also covers technological solutions—including precision agriculture, AI, and biotechnology—through which China seeks to balance food production with environmental goals. By the end of the course, students will gain a nuanced understanding of China’s agricultural development dynamics, their implications for environmental and health outcomes, and their relevance to global efforts at making our food systems more sustainable.