376 AMBI02012,41:370-379 Fig.6 Synthetic fertilizer 1400 application rates on vegetables in 18 provinces (municipalities) 1200 -0K in China 1000 800 600 400 200 olia n Shanxi Qinghai Guizhou Jiangxi Fujian Hebei w Hainan Gansu Shanghai Shangdong Inner Guangdong Province or municipality Inadequate Agricultural Extension Services manufactures in various ways but particularly through low- energy prices >RMB 6.3 thousand million every year since The ratio of agricultural extension investment as a per- 2003 (Chanda et al.2009)and tax rebates,to keep pro- centage of total agricultural GDP in China was only 0.49% duction costs and retail prices low so that farmers can in 1999.and 80%of the funds allocated to extension ser- afford to buy and use more fertilizers on their crops.While vices were used to pay staff salaries.Local government in the past such approaches helped to increase grain pro- reforms in the 1980s required local extension agencies to duction,it has also encouraged the overuse of N fertilizer allocate staff to other duties unrelated to extension,and to (Zhang et al.2006;Ju et al.2009)and serious environ- engage in commercial activities in order to generate reve- mental damage.Therefore,the Chinese government needs nue to maintain or supplement salaries and compensate for to remove such price distortion and place more emphasis the reduced public funding for extension.However, on providing farmers with better advice on plant nutrient because one of the main commercial activities of the management,and support to research and development on extension workers was(and may continue to be)the selling breeding higher yielding varieties and small scale equip- of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers,this hampered their ment for the precision placement of fertilizers.In addition. enthusiasm to give any technological or nutrient manage- more investment is needed to improve the basic production ment advice that would reduce the overuse of fertilizers infrastructure,such as high-efficiency irrigation. and pesticides.Surveys in many parts of China have highlighted the poor support that farmers receive from Provide Greater Incentives for Recycling Organic extension services.For example,an investigation in Hubei Manure and Fujian provinces in the 1990s showed that only 15%of families received the training in fertilizer management, The addition of straw to soil is a means to immobilize N as 34%of famers received instruction from technicians on organic N in microorganisms and their remains,which is a pesticide application and 84%of farmers applied the pes- favourable option in terms of soil carbon sequestration and ticide over the recommended dose (Huang et al.2001). nutrient returning (Lu et al.2009).Rural environmental protection strategies should require the development of comprehensive straw utilization plans that maximize the POLICY SUGGESTIONS AND MITIGATION return of straw and forbide the straw burning in the fields. MEASURES TO REDUCE NON-POINT SOURCE The recycling of organic manure needs to be promoted by POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE introducing new incentive measures such as investment for the development of better techniques to produce commer- Correct Distortion in Fertilizer Prices cial organic fertilizers with high-quality standards.At the same time,the state should consider expanding the subsidy One of the dominant strategies that China has used for programme for the enhancement of soil organic matter by many years to boost grain production is to keep chemical the application of rice straw decomposition agents and fertilizer price low.Subsidies are provided to fertilizer commercial organic fertilizers,and possibly expand the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2012 ②Springer www.kva.se/enInadequate Agricultural Extension Services The ratio of agricultural extension investment as a per￾centage of total agricultural GDP in China was only 0.49% in 1999, and 80% of the funds allocated to extension ser￾vices were used to pay staff salaries. Local government reforms in the 1980s required local extension agencies to allocate staff to other duties unrelated to extension, and to engage in commercial activities in order to generate reve￾nue to maintain or supplement salaries and compensate for the reduced public funding for extension. However, because one of the main commercial activities of the extension workers was (and may continue to be) the selling of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers, this hampered their enthusiasm to give any technological or nutrient manage￾ment advice that would reduce the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. Surveys in many parts of China have highlighted the poor support that farmers receive from extension services. For example, an investigation in Hubei and Fujian provinces in the 1990s showed that only 15% of families received the training in fertilizer management, 34% of famers received instruction from technicians on pesticide application and 84% of farmers applied the pes￾ticide over the recommended dose (Huang et al. 2001). POLICY SUGGESTIONS AND MITIGATION MEASURES TO REDUCE NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURE Correct Distortion in Fertilizer Prices One of the dominant strategies that China has used for many years to boost grain production is to keep chemical fertilizer price low. Subsidies are provided to fertilizer manufactures in various ways but particularly through low￾energy prices[RMB 6.3 thousand million every year since 2003 (Chanda et al. 2009) and tax rebates, to keep pro￾duction costs and retail prices low so that farmers can afford to buy and use more fertilizers on their crops. While in the past such approaches helped to increase grain pro￾duction, it has also encouraged the overuse of N fertilizer (Zhang et al. 2006; Ju et al. 2009) and serious environ￾mental damage. Therefore, the Chinese government needs to remove such price distortion and place more emphasis on providing farmers with better advice on plant nutrient management, and support to research and development on breeding higher yielding varieties and small scale equip￾ment for the precision placement of fertilizers. In addition, more investment is needed to improve the basic production infrastructure, such as high-efficiency irrigation. Provide Greater Incentives for Recycling Organic Manure The addition of straw to soil is a means to immobilize N as organic N in microorganisms and their remains, which is a favourable option in terms of soil carbon sequestration and nutrient returning (Lu et al. 2009). Rural environmental protection strategies should require the development of comprehensive straw utilization plans that maximize the return of straw and forbide the straw burning in the fields. The recycling of organic manure needs to be promoted by introducing new incentive measures such as investment for the development of better techniques to produce commer￾cial organic fertilizers with high-quality standards. At the same time, the state should consider expanding the subsidy programme for the enhancement of soil organic matter by the application of rice straw decomposition agents and commercial organic fertilizers, and possibly expand the Fig. 6 Synthetic fertilizer application rates on vegetables in 18 provinces (municipalities) in China 376 AMBIO 2012, 41:370–379 123 Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2012 www.kva.se/en