In the face of accelerating global warming, agricultural carbon neutrality has emerged as a pivotal challenge and a global imperative. Agriculture, as a fundamental aspect of human sustenance and economic activity, simultaneously contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, compelling urgent innovation in farming practices. China, the world’s largest grain producer, occupies a critical position in this struggle. It must guarantee food security for its massive population of approximately 1.4 billion people while concurrently addressing the environmental impact of its agricultural sector. The question arises: How can China reduce the carbon footprint of its extensive farmland without compromising its vital role in global food supply?
A groundbreaking review led by Professor Xuejun Liu from the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences at China Agricultural University, alongside Tianxiang Hao and colleagues, offers a comprehensive scientific framework addressing this very conundrum. Published in the prestigious journal Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, this study thoroughly examines China’s farmland carbon budget and proposes strategic pathways toward harmonizing agricultural productivity with carbon neutrality goals.
From 1990 to 2015, China’s farmland exhibited an alarming trend of greenhouse gas emissions, increasing annually by 4.3 teragrams (Tg) of CO₂ equivalent, culminating in a peak emission of 400 Tg CO₂-eq in 2015. However, the trajectory shifted when targeted management optimization measures were introduced, leading to an annual emission reduction averaging 11.6 Tg CO₂-eq between 2015 and 2021. Consequently, emissions diminished to 340 Tg CO₂-eq by 2021. Despite this progress, farmland remains a major source of emissions, accounting for over half (50.3%) of total agricultural greenhouse gases and approximately 3.6% of all national emissions, underscoring the persistent environmental challenge.
The study further explores the carbon sequestration dynamics within China’s farmlands, particularly focusing on the topsoil organic carbon pool spanning the 0–30 cm depth. This reservoir contains an estimated 5.5 petagrams (Pg) of carbon, which has accumulated at a steady annual rate of 21.3 Tg since the 1980s, corresponding to an impressive carbon dioxide absorption capacity of 78 Tg CO₂ per year. Nevertheless, this organic carbon storage gain is substantially undermined by significant losses of soil inorganic carbon, which exceed 16 Tg C annually. This inorganic carbon depletion negates roughly 75% of the organic carbon sink effect, revealing a complex and somewhat counterintuitive interplay between carbon sinks and sources within the farmland ecosystem.
Central to mitigating emissions and enhancing carbon sinks is the refinement of farmland management techniques. Notably, nitrogen fertilizer application in Chinese agriculture suffers from low utilization rates—estimated at only 25% to 40%—which lag behind international standards. Employing the “4R nutrient management” framework—right fertilizer type, rate, timing, and placement—has proven effective. By integrating organic fertilizers and incorporating straw returning into soil management, these practices can elevate soil organic carbon levels by between 9% and 39%, representing a substantial improvement in soil health and carbon sequestration potential.
Water management and tillage operations also play crucial roles in China’s journey to carbon neutrality. Traditional approaches, such as prolonged flooding in rice paddies, promote methane emissions—a potent greenhouse gas. Innovations like alternate wetting and drying irrigation reduce methane release by an estimated 37%, demonstrating significant mitigation potential. Additionally, widespread adoption of conservation tillage practices—including no-tillage and cover cropping—could enhance farmland carbon stocks by up to 4.6 Tg C annually, representing about one-fifth of the current carbon sink capacity.
Despite the technical promise of these strategies, their adoption remains limited. Organic fertilizers constitute only around 10% of total nitrogen fertilizer use, straw returning occurs on approximately 40% of cropland, and conservation tillage areas represent less than 10% of cultivated land in China. The study emphasizes the necessity of robust policy frameworks coupled with comprehensive technical training programs to encourage farmers and agricultural stakeholders to embrace integrated, sustainable farming systems.
Moreover, farmland carbon management must respect and integrate regional ecological and climatic heterogeneity. In arid zones of North China, soil inorganic carbon sequestration supersedes organic carbon contributions, thus demanding tailored management approaches that enhance the inorganic carbon sink. Conversely, in southern rice-growing regions, curbing methane emissions remains paramount due to the high methane flux associated with flooded paddy fields. This spatially differentiated approach ensures that mitigation strategies align with local environmental conditions and agricultural practices.
Future advancements also envision leveraging plant breeding and agricultural machinery innovations. The development of crop varieties with enhanced carbon sequestration traits or lower greenhouse gas emission profiles could revolutionize sustainable crop production. Concurrently, transitioning to low-carbon agricultural machinery capable of reducing operational emissions will bolster carbon neutrality efforts across the entire industry chain, from soil preparation to harvest and post-harvest processing.
The integrated application of these innovations—nutrient management, irrigation techniques, tillage practices, crop variety improvements, and low-emission machinery—paves a scalable path toward sustainable agriculture. By doing so, China’s expansive farmland ecosystem can transition from being a net emitter to a strategic carbon sink, contributing substantially to global climate change mitigation while continuing to meet monumental food security demands.
In conclusion, this comprehensive analysis highlights both significant challenges and promising opportunities in optimizing agricultural practices in China for carbon neutrality. Dynamic management, informed by rigorous scientific research and supported by pragmatic policy, offers viable pathways to reduce emissions substantially, enhance soil carbon storage, and adapt agricultural systems to the realities of a warming world. Embedding sustainability into the cores of China’s agriculture promises to set a precedent that resonates globally, offering lessons and technologies adaptable to the diverse agricultural landscapes worldwide.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Optimizing crop production toward agricultural carbon neutrality in China
News Publication Date: 15-Sep-2025
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.15302/J-FASE-2025602
References: DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2025602
Image Credits: Tianxiang HAO, Yangyang ZHANG, Yulong YIN, Jingxia WANG, Zhenling CUI, Keith GOULDING, Xuejun LIU
Keywords: Agriculture
Tags: agricultural carbon emissions reductionbalancing food supply and emissionscarbon footprint of agricultureChina agricultural practicesenvironmental impact of farmingfarmland carbon budget analysisfood security and carbon neutralityglobal warming and agriculturegreenhouse gas emissions in farmingProfessor Xuejun Liu research findingsstrategies for carbon neutrality in agriculturesustainable farming innovations
