Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: Further reduce the total use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides; accelerate efforts to cut fertilizer and pesticide application while enhancing their efficiency.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued the “Action Plan for Reducing Chemical Fertilizer Use by 2025” and the “Action Plan for Reducing Chemical Pesticide Use by 2025,” calling for a further reduction in the total application of chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. In the fertilizer sector, the focus is on cutting fertilizer use while increasing the return of organic fertilizers to the soil, expanding the coverage of soil-testing‑based formulated fertilization, and improving fertilizer utilization efficiency—referred to as “one reduction and three increases.” For pesticides, the priority is to lower the volume of chemical pesticide applications and boost the coverage of green pest and disease management and integrated pest management. The specific measures are as follows:

To the Departments (Bureaus, Commissions) of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Agriculture and Animal Husbandry) of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and cities separately listed in the national plan; to the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; to Beidahuang Agricultural Reclamation Group Co., Ltd.; and to the Guangdong Provincial State Farms Administration:

Promoting the reduction of chemical fertilizer and pesticide use is an essential requirement for comprehensively strengthening the foundation of food security and accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of agriculture. It is also a crucial measure for ensuring the quality and safety of agricultural products and for bolstering ecological civilization. To expedite the reduction in fertilizer and pesticide application while enhancing their efficiency, and to improve the mechanisms for achieving this goal, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has formulated… Action Plan for Reducing Chemical Fertilizer Use by 2025 and “Action Plan for Reducing the Use of Chemical Pesticides by 2025,” This document is hereby circulated to you. Please, in light of local conditions, refine the implementation plan, intensify efforts, strengthen accountability, and ensure steady and effective progress to achieve tangible results.

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

November 16, 2022

Attachment 1  ： Action Plan for Reducing Chemical Fertilizer Use by 2025

Beginning in 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs launched an initiative to achieve zero growth in fertilizer use by 2020, driving a sustained decline in fertilizer application and continuous improvements in fertilizer-use efficiency. The 14th Five-Year Plan period marks the first five-year span in embarking on a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country and advancing toward the second centenary goal. It is a critical phase for promoting a comprehensive green transformation of economic development and for building a modern society characterized by harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Agricultural development has entered a new stage, accelerating its transition to green practices. To fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy—balancing the effective supply of grain and other key agricultural products with the ongoing improvement of environmental quality—it is essential to continue advancing scientific fertilization, reducing fertilizer use while enhancing its efficiency, thereby providing stronger support for food security and green, high-quality development.

I. Current Situation and Trends

Across the country, efforts to implement the initiative of achieving zero growth in fertilizer use have been deepened. The concept of scientific fertilization has been steadily reinforced, innovative scientific fertilization technologies have continued to emerge, and practical measures have been consistently put into place, providing crucial support for maintaining grain output above 1.3 trillion jin and promoting the green, high‑quality development of the agricultural sector. First, fertilizer application has declined continuously. Soil testing and formula fertilization have been expanded on a larger scale and at a higher level; the substitution of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers has been accelerated; and new types of fertilizers, such as microbial fertilizers, have been widely promoted and applied. As a result, the total amount of chemical fertilizers used in agriculture has decreased for six consecutive years. In 2021, national chemical fertilizer application totaled 51.91 million tons (in terms of pure nutrient content), a reduction of 13.8% compared with 2015. Second, the fertilizer application structure has been further optimized. Fixed nitrogen fertilizer quotas have been established for crops such as rice, wheat, corn, and rapeseed; science‑based fertilization guidelines have been issued by season and crop type to guide informed fertilizer selection and application. The N‑P‑K ratio has been adjusted from 1:0.53:0.36 in 2015 to 1:0.49:0.42, with notable results in reducing phosphorus use while increasing potassium application, and the rate of compound fertilizer use has continued to rise. Third, fertilization practices have been continuously improved. High‑efficiency fertilization technologies have been promoted, with soil testing and formula fertilization coverage maintained at over 90%; formulated fertilizers now account for more than 60% of the total fertilizer applied to the three major grain crops, effectively curbing indiscriminate and excessive fertilization. Fourth, fertilizer use efficiency has increased significantly. A number of key projects have been implemented, and several scientific fertilization models have been disseminated. By 2021, the fertilizer use efficiency of China’s three major grain crops—rice, wheat, and corn—had reached over 40%, an improvement of 5 percentage points compared with 2015. Fifth, management mechanisms have been gradually refined. Registration and oversight of new fertilizer types, such as organic and microbial fertilizers, have been strengthened; seven categories of fertilizers, including water‑soluble fertilizers containing macronutrients, have been shifted from registration to filing; quality‑supervision spot checks have been conducted; and the fertilizer standards system has been enhanced, guiding the transformation and upgrading of the fertilizer industry.

The 14th Five-Year Plan period represents a critical strategic window for accelerating green agricultural development, calling for new and more substantial breakthroughs in this area and placing higher demands on reducing fertilizer use while enhancing its efficiency. First, the task of ensuring stable grain production and supply has grown even more pressing. Strengthening the foundation of food security across the board and keeping China’s food supply firmly in its own hands are the top priorities for agriculture and rural development now and in the years ahead. Advancing the reduction of input use requires not only cutting excessive fertilizer application but also avoiding trade-offs with yield; thus, this effort faces new challenges. Second, the bar for green development has been raised. Promoting intensive resource utilization, eco‑friendly industrial models, and environmentally sustainable development pathways are key priorities for improving the ecological environment and advancing green agriculture, making it imperative to intensify efforts to reduce fertilizer use. Third, there is an increasingly urgent need for scientific fertilization. China’s per‑mu fertilizer application remains below world‑leading levels, and imbalances in fertilizer use persist across regions, crops, and farming entities. Issues such as the limited diversity of fertilizer types, the irrational use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, and deficiencies in secondary and micronutrients have yet to be fully addressed, while the rate of returning organic fertilizers to the field remains low. In light of these new circumstances and requirements, we must step up our efforts, adopt comprehensive measures, and steadily advance the work of reducing fertilizer use.

II. General Requirements

(1) Guiding Principles

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will comprehensively implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, fully and accurately apply the new development philosophy, and strive to ensure an effective supply of grain and key agricultural products while promoting the green, high‑quality development of the crop‑production sector. We will uphold industry‑wide coordination among research, extension, and management, and advance the entire value chain—from production and application to evaluation—accelerating the establishment of a modern system of scientific fertilization technologies, management practices, and institutional frameworks. We will focus on scientific, precise, and environmentally friendly fertilization, promote mechanized fertilization, integrated water‑fertilizer applications, and diversified fertilizer alternatives, and strengthen the integrated innovation and widespread adoption of new fertilizer products, technologies, and equipment. By advancing precision, intelligence, greenness, and professionalization in fertilization, we will achieve reduced fertilizer use with increased efficiency and foster high‑quality development of the fertilizer industry, thereby providing robust support for ensuring food security, pursuing green development, and revitalizing rural areas.

(II) Basic Principles

— Innovation-driven, technology-supported. Strengthen the role of innovation in reducing fertilizer use, focusing on new technologies, new products, and new equipment; promote integrated technological innovation; overcome a number of critical bottlenecks; and advance the upgrading of scientific fertilization practices.

— Scientific fertilization and diversified alternatives. Adhere to soil‑specific and demand‑driven fertilization, avoiding excessive application and indiscriminate reductions in fertilizer use. Apply organic fertilizers scientifically, promote the adoption of new‑type fertilizers, advance the cultivation of green manure crops and the diversified return of crop residues to the field, enhance the bioavailability of soil nutrients, and reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers.

— Tailor measures to local conditions and adopt a comprehensive approach. Focusing on major grain-producing areas, key agricultural-product production protection zones, and regions under significant ecological‑management pressure such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Yellow River Basin, we will address pressing issues by integrating scientific, economic, and administrative tools to advance the coordinated reduction of fertilizer use.

— Establish models and build mechanisms. Strengthen technology maturation and integrated application, develop and promote a range of scientific fertilization technology models, actively expand agrochemical services such as unified soil testing and formulation, intelligent fertilizer blending, and outsourced application and management, and explore the establishment of long-term mechanisms like fertilizer quota systems and record-keeping systems.

— Government guidance and resource integration. Leverage the government’s guiding role, strengthen policy support and financial assistance, and consolidate the public‑good foundation for scientific fertilization. Fully harness the leading role of market entities, mobilize broad participation from all sectors of society, and pool collective efforts to reduce fertilizer use.

(3) Objectives and Tasks

Establish and improve a modern scientific fertilization system oriented toward “high yield, high quality, cost-effectiveness, and environmental protection”; refine the fertilizer efficacy monitoring and evaluation framework; explore the development of a “one‑main, multi‑channel” scientific fertilization extension service model that integrates and complements public‑interest and market‑driven approaches; accelerate the formulation of a comprehensive set of laws, policies, institutional standards, and operational mechanisms for reducing chemical fertilizer use; and strive to achieve the goal of “one reduction and three enhancements.”

— Further reduce the total amount of chemical fertilizers applied in agriculture. By 2025, the nutrient balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and secondary and micronutrients will be more rational, and the national application of chemical fertilizers will achieve steady yet declining levels.

— Further increase the amount of organic fertilizer returned to the field. Vigorously advance pilot programs for green, integrated crop–livestock farming, ensuring the effective and rational application of organic fertilizer resources to farmland; by 2025, the proportion of cultivated land receiving organic fertilizer is expected to rise by at least 5 percentage points.

— Further increase the coverage of soil-testing and formula‑based fertilization. By continuously advancing foundational work such as farmer surveys, field trials, and formulation development, we will ensure that by 2025 the national coverage rate of soil-testing and formula‑based fertilization for major crops remains stable at or above 90%.

— Further enhance fertilizer use efficiency. Promote new fertilization technologies, products, and equipment to comprehensively improve the level of scientific fertilization, with the national fertilizer use efficiency for the three major grain crops reaching 43% by 2025.

III. Technical Pathways and Regional Measures

(1) Technical Approach

First is “precision”—precise fertilization to reduce application rates while enhancing efficiency. Strengthen the foundations of soil‑testing‑based fertilization, including surveys of fertilizer application, nutritional diagnostics, and field trials; precisely develop and disseminate fertilizer formulation information; increase the proportion of formulated and specialized fertilizers applied; and reduce inappropriate nutrient inputs.

Second is “adjustment”—optimizing the structure to reduce volume while enhancing efficiency. Increase efforts to research, develop, and promote green technologies and inputs; optimize the N‑P‑K ratio; adjust nutrient formulations to enhance uptake efficiency; and apply targeted supplements of secondary and micronutrients to alleviate deficiency symptoms. Guide the optimization and upgrading of fertilizer products, and vigorously advance new functional and performance‑enhancing fertilizers.

Third is “reform”—improving methods to reduce inputs while boosting efficiency. Improve traditional fertilization methods such as surface application, broadcast application, and flood‑irrigation flushing; develop advanced, practical fertilization equipment; promote the use of high‑efficiency machinery like seed‑fertilizer simultaneous‑seeding machines and side‑deep fertilizer applicators; and integrate these with slow‑release and controlled‑release fertilizers as well as specialized formulations, thereby transforming conventional fertilization practices and reducing chemical fertilizer inputs.

Fourth is “substitution,” which involves diversified alternatives to reduce consumption while enhancing efficiency. . Rationally utilize organic nutrient resources, promote diversified alternatives to chemical fertilizers—such as increased application of organic manure, green manuring, returning crop residues to the field, and biological nitrogen fixation—and advance the integration of organic and inorganic inputs. Through techniques like tillage layer management and microbial activation, enhance the bioavailability of soil nutrients, thereby reducing reliance on chemical fertilizer inputs.

Fifth, “management”: scientific oversight to reduce costs and enhance efficiency. Establish a comprehensive system of institutional standards covering the entire fertilizer value chain—from production and application to regulatory oversight—and develop scientifically based nitrogen fertilizer application quotas for major crops. Implement quota‑based fertilization and ledger‑keeping management, and formulate evidence‑based fertilization guidelines tailored to specific regions, crops, and growing seasons, guiding farmers to keep fertilizer use within an appropriate range.

(II) Regional Measures

Northeast China. Fertilization principles: limit nitrogen and phosphorus, control potassium, and supplement micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, boron, and molybdenum. Key measures include: returning straw to the field and practicing grain–legume rotation to increase organic fertilizer application; promoting mechanical deep‑application techniques and applying topdressing at the right time and in appropriate amounts; in areas with strong soil water‑and‑fertilizer retention and those under plastic mulch, advancing one‑time fertilization practices; in sandy‑loam and acidic soils, supplementing with calcium–magnesium fertilizers; in regions with high soil pH, high yields, and zinc deficiency, increasing zinc fertilizer applications; and in areas that have long relied on chlorine‑based compound fertilizers, appropriately switching to sulfur‑based or sulfur‑containing formulations. For corn, promote the use of high‑efficiency slow‑release and controlled‑release fertilizers applied via deep placement, along with integrated water‑fertilizer management; for rice, advance side‑deep fertilization during machine transplanting, with moderate increases in silicon fertilizer; and for soybeans and peanuts, encourage inoculation with rhizobium agents and increased applications of micronutrients such as boron and molybdenum.

North China region. Fertilization principles: reduce nitrogen, control phosphorus, stabilize potassium, and supplement secondary and micronutrients such as sulfur, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, and boron. Key measures include: conducting periodic deep tillage and subsoiling as well as adopting conservation tillage; returning wheat and corn straw to the field; and appropriately regulating potassium fertilizer application. Vigorously promote compound fertilizers and efficiency‑enhancing fertilizers, strengthen integrated water–fertilizer management for wheat, delay nitrogen application, and implement comprehensive “one spray, three protections” practices throughout the growing season. Improve the quality of simultaneous seed‑fertilizer sowing for corn, and emphasize year‑round phosphorus management. For soybeans and peanuts, encourage inoculation with rhizobium agents and increase the application of micronutrient fertilizers such as boron and molybdenum. In vegetable and fruit production, enhance the integration of organic and inorganic inputs, promote mechanized fertilization and fertigation, and curb chemical fertilizer use. Apply organic fertilizers and soil conditioners, develop green manure in orchards, and improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil.

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Fertilization principles: implement region‑specific fertilizer management, optimize fertilizer formulations, reduce nitrogen application appropriately, control phosphorus while maintaining potassium levels, refine nutrient‑management strategies and adjust plant architecture, and supplement secondary and micronutrients such as sulfur, zinc, and boron. Key measures include piloting a fixed‑rate nitrogen‑fertilizer system and a fertilizer‑accounting ledger; vigorously promoting new types of fertilizers—crop‑specific fertilizers, formulated fertilizers, water‑soluble fertilizers, and organic–inorganic compound fertilizers—while improving the adoption rates of practices like mechanical deep placement, straw return to the field, and using organic fertilizers to replace chemical ones; developing green manure on fallow winter fields in suitable areas and encouraging its use in orchards and tea gardens; applying rapeseed base fertilizer through deep placement or broadcasting it together with seed; and emphasizing the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomic practices to develop simplified, streamlined fertilization technologies, with the widespread adoption of fertigation in protected agriculture and orchards.

South China region. Fertilization principles: prioritize stable nitrogen application while also reducing overall fertilizer use; decrease phosphorus and supplement potassium; and replenish secondary and micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and boron. Key measures include piloting a fixed‑rate nitrogen fertilizer system; vigorously promoting new types of fertilizers—such as controlled‑release and water‑soluble fertilizers, and microbial fertilizers—while improving the adoption rates of practices like formulated fertilization, mechanical deep placement, straw return to the field, and the substitution of chemical fertilizers with organic ones; emphasizing the use of calcium‑magnesium‑phosphate fertilizers, lime, dolomite powder, and silicon‑containing alkaline fertilizers to ameliorate acidified soils; developing leguminous green manure crops on fallow winter fields in suitable areas; and integrating agricultural machinery with agronomic practices to advance simplified, streamlined fertilization technologies, while promoting fertigation in protected agriculture and orchards.

Southwest Region. Fertilization principle: reduce nitrogen and phosphorus, adjust potassium levels, and supplement with secondary and micronutrients such as magnesium, boron, zinc, iron, and calcium. Key measures include: for grain crops, vigorously promote the use of formulated fertilizers and specialized high‑efficiency new‑type fertilizers; improve the adoption rates of soil‑testing‑based formula fertilization, mechanical deep application, and straw‑returning technologies; and restore and expand the cultivation of green manure on fallow winter fields. For vegetables and fruit trees, emphasize the balanced application of organic and inorganic fertilizers, apply organic fertilizers appropriately, develop green manure cropping in orchards, prioritize the use of innovative fertilizers, supplement with secondary and micronutrient fertilizers, and widely implement fertigation technology to achieve comprehensive control over chemical fertilizer inputs. Additionally, make effective use of calcium‑magnesium‑phosphate fertilizers, lime, and silicon‑containing alkaline fertilizers to ameliorate acidified soils.

Northwest Region. Fertilization principles: base fertilizer application on water availability and conduct soil testing to tailor fertilization; maintain nitrogen levels, control phosphorus, and adjust potassium; and apply appropriate amounts of secondary and micronutrients such as sulfur, zinc, selenium, and molybdenum. Key measures include: vigorously promoting new types of fertilizers—such as controlled-release and slow-release fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers, and microbial fertilizers—while increasing the adoption rates of soil-testing‑based formulated fertilization, mechanical deep placement, fertigation, and straw return; implementing conservation tillage, straw incorporation, and green manure cultivation; increasing the use of organic fertilizers; and improving saline–alkali and sandy soils. In rainfed dryland areas, promote the use of controlled-release and formulated fertilizers and expand the area under mechanical deep placement; in irrigated areas, adopt fertigation technologies, popularize crop‑specific fertilizers, and carefully regulate the application rates of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.

IV. Key Tasks

(1) Soil Testing and Formula Fertilization Enhancement Initiative. Strengthen technological innovation and extension services to develop an upgraded version of soil testing and formula fertilization, thereby promoting deeper refinement, wider adoption, and effective implementation. Build the foundation: Establish a regularized working mechanism and continuously carry out foundational activities such as fertilizer application surveys, nutritional diagnostics, and field trials. Enhance data management and application for soil testing and formula fertilization, promptly update fertilization parameters, revise nutrient sufficiency–deficiency criteria and the fertilization index system, and precisely formulate fertilizer recipes. Strengthen services: Innovate efficient testing methods, explore cutting-edge nutritional diagnostic technologies, and leverage mobile internet and other tools to bolster information services. Pilot integrated service models—including crop‑specific fertilizer package delivery, full‑cycle plant nutrition management, and intelligent “cloud‑based” fertilizer formulation—to elevate service capacity. Facilitate implementation: Deepen cooperation between agricultural enterprises and stakeholders, effectively linking fertilizer producers, new types of business entities, and socialized service organizations. Encourage and guide fertilizer manufacturers to produce formulated and crop‑specific fertilizers in accordance with established formulas, and explore service models that integrate public‑interest and commercial functions to promote the widespread adoption of formula fertilizers.

(II) Integrated Implementation of the “Three New” Initiatives. In conjunction with efforts to achieve green, high‑yield, and efficient production, we will integrate and promote new fertilization technologies, products, and equipment to reduce chemical fertilizer use and enhance its efficiency. New Technologies: Strengthen the synergy among soil, fertilizer, and crops; implement comprehensive nutrient management; tailor nutrient diagnostics, root‑zone regulation, and precision fertilization techniques to local conditions; and adopt a balanced approach that combines organic and inorganic inputs, ensuring alignment between nutrient demand and supply in terms of quantity, timing, and spatial distribution. New Products: Intensify innovation and R&D in environmentally friendly inputs, guide the optimization and upgrading of fertilizer formulations, and actively promote slow‑release and controlled‑release fertilizers, water‑soluble fertilizers, microbial fertilizers, efficiency‑enhancing fertilizers, and other functional fertilizers, thereby precisely meeting plant nutritional needs and improving nutrient uptake efficiency. New Equipment: Widely deploy advanced machinery and tools, including seed‑fertilizer simultaneous‑sowing machines, mechanical deep‑injection fertilizer applicators, side‑deep fertilization machines, aerial fertilizer‑spraying drones, fertigation systems, and organic‑fertilizer spreaders, to minimize fertilizer loss and waste.

(3) Action to Promote Diversified Substitution of Chemical Fertilizers. Coordinate the utilization of organic fertilizer resources, encourage and guide farmers to increase the application of organic fertilizers, and advance the integration of organic and inorganic inputs. Foster crop–livestock integration by leveraging pilot projects for green, circular agriculture, linking crop production with livestock farming. Use organic waste such as livestock and poultry manure to produce composted organic fertilizers, which are then returned to the field locally or nearby. Tailor practices to local conditions, promoting the use of organic fertilizers, bio‑organic fertilizers, and organic–inorganic compound fertilizers to strengthen the synergy between organic and inorganic nutrients. Implement green manure cultivation: in regions with favorable light, heat, and water resources, vigorously expand green manure cropping and grass cover in orchards, employing methods such as natural mulching, mowing and mulching, or incorporation into the soil to enhance soil organic matter. Return crop residues to the field: make full use of agricultural straw resources by returning them to the soil through mulching, turning under, composting, or using bioreactors. Practice rational crop rotation: optimize cropping systems, promote the rotation and intercropping of leguminous crops such as peanuts and soybeans, and apply rhizobium inoculants to boost biological nitrogen fixation.

(4) Fertilizer‑efficacy monitoring and evaluation initiative. Establish a monitoring and evaluation system for fertilizer application effectiveness to scientifically assess the outcomes of fertilizer reduction. Set up monitoring sites: Targeting large-scale farmers, family farms, and specialized cooperatives, establish survey sites on farmers’ fertilization practices and monitoring points for fertilizer‑use efficacy; innovate data‑collection methods and mechanisms, conduct surveys and monitoring, and gather first‑hand data. Build a platform: Develop a scientific fertilizer‑management data platform that, based on in-depth analysis of farmer survey data, laboratory tests, field trials, and efficacy monitoring, systematically integrates relevant information from fertilizer production and distribution, enabling multi‑source data fusion and analysis to support cloud‑based services for precision fertilization. Evaluate outcomes: Optimize evaluation parameters, establish a two‑tiered evaluation indicator system at the ministerial and provincial levels, scientifically determine evaluation methodologies, and objectively assess the effectiveness of fertilizer reduction.

(5) Outreach and Training to Households Initiative. Strengthen the dissemination, training, and promotion of fertilizer knowledge and fertilization techniques to encourage their scientific application. Technical Training: Launch the “Hundred Counties, Thousand Townships, Ten Thousand Households” scientific fertilization training campaign, adopting a four-tiered coordination mechanism involving national, provincial, municipal, and county agricultural extension agencies, and fostering collaboration among research institutions, educational organizations, industry associations, and fertilizer companies to deliver diverse forms of technical training. Advisory Services: Leverage the technical support provided by expert advisory groups on scientific fertilization and provincial-level expert teams, organizing the “One Hundred Experts Partnering with One Hundred Counties” initiative to offer targeted guidance on scientific fertilization, thereby reinforcing technical assistance to grassroots agricultural extension systems, socialized service organizations, and new types of agricultural operators. Public Awareness and Guidance: Conduct focused campaigns to promote a scientifically informed understanding of the role of chemical fertilizers and to advance green development; produce and distribute educational materials such as wall charts on the science of fertilizers, manuals on the rational use of fertilizers, and guidelines for the application of organic fertilizers; solicit and compile case studies demonstrating successful reductions in fertilizer use; and highlight these examples through concentrated coverage in both traditional and new media, leveraging real-world cases to enhance outreach effectiveness.

V. Guarantee Measures

(1) Strengthen organizational leadership. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has established a Coordination and Guidance Group for the Fertilizer Reduction Initiative, chaired by a ministry leader, with responsible officials from relevant departments and units serving as members. The Department of Crop Production Management, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, is tasked with overseeing the implementation of specific measures. Each province (autonomous region, municipality directly under the central government) shall establish a Leading Group for Promoting and Implementing the Initiative, chaired by a responsible official from the provincial agricultural and rural affairs department, to enhance coordination and guidance and ensure the effective execution of all measures.

(II) Strengthen accountability. Implement the responsibility mechanism of “departmental guidance, provincial overall responsibility, and county-level implementation,” ensuring that local responsibilities are fulfilled at every level. Break down the key tasks for reducing fertilizer use into annual targets, further specifying them by priority regions and major crops, and foster coordinated efforts across all levels and among multiple stakeholders to ensure that all measures are effectively put into practice.

(3) Strengthen legal safeguards. Conduct research on fertilizer legislation and actively advance legislative efforts in the fertilizer sector. Promote seamless coordination across all stages of fertilizer management—production, registration, marketing, application, and oversight—thereby establishing a scientific, standardized, and efficient regulatory framework for the fertilizer industry.

4. Strengthen policy support. Enhance communication and coordination with departments responsible for finance, banking, and science and technology, establish and improve a mechanism to ensure stable, scaled‑up investment in fertilizer reduction, support the development of long‑term, scientifically sound systems for returning manure‑derived fertilizers to farmland, and continuously advance efforts to reduce fertilizer use while enhancing its efficiency.

(5) Strengthen science and technology support. Leverage the technological, product, and information advantages of educational and research institutions, leading enterprises, and industry associations to organize research and innovation in green inputs and new fertilization technologies; integrate a suite of technical models; and accelerate the development, application, and dissemination of technologies that reduce fertilizer use while enhancing efficiency.

Annex 2: Action Plan for Reducing Chemical Pesticide Use by 2025

Promoting the reduction of pesticide use is an essential requirement for advancing high-quality agricultural development and accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of agriculture; it is also a key measure for ensuring the safety and quality of agricultural products and strengthening ecological civilization. To implement the requirements of the “14th Five-Year Plan” National Green Agricultural Development Plan and the “14th Five-Year Plan” National Crop Production Development Plan, and to continuously advance the goals of reducing pesticide use while enhancing efficacy, this plan has been formulated.

I. Current Situation and Trends

Pesticides are an indispensable input for modern agriculture, playing a critical role in controlling crop diseases and pests and ensuring national food security and the reliable supply of key agricultural products. However, their unscientific or irrational use can also have adverse impacts on both agricultural product quality and the ecological environment. Since 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has launched an initiative to achieve zero growth in pesticide use, yielding significant results. Nationally, pesticide application has declined for six consecutive years; during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the average annual pesticide usage (expressed in terms of 100% active ingredient, the same below) was 270,000 tons, a 9.4% reduction compared with the 12th Five-Year Plan period. In 2021, pesticide use stood at 248,000 tons, down 16.8% from 2015. The coverage of green pest‑management practices for major crops reached 46%, up 23 percentage points from 2015, while the area under integrated pest management for major crops rose to 42.4%, an increase of 9.4 percentage points over 2015. Meanwhile, the composition of pesticide formulations has continued to improve, with low‑toxicity and virtually non‑toxic pesticides accounting for more than 85% of all registered products, and the market share of highly effective, environmentally friendly new varieties growing steadily year by year. As a result, while effectively curbing crop diseases and pests and securing consecutive bumper harvests, the targeted reduction in pesticide use has been successfully achieved.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, agricultural development has entered a new phase of accelerating a comprehensive green transformation, placing new and higher demands on reducing pesticide use while enhancing efficacy. It is imperative to both ensure national food security and the effective supply of key agricultural products, and to promote reductions in chemical pesticide application; this urgently calls for strengthening the scientific and rational use of pesticides and improving their efficiency. To safeguard public health and food safety, there is an urgent need to establish a regulatory framework for pesticide use and standardize application practices. Furthermore, in line with the principle that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” and to continuously improve the ecological environment of agriculture and rural areas, it is essential to move away from over-reliance on chemical pesticides for disease and pest control, vigorously advance green pest management, and implement integrated pest and disease management and sustainable governance. In response to these new circumstances and requirements, we must intensify our efforts, adopt comprehensive measures, and steadily advance the reduction of chemical pesticide use.

II. General Requirements

(1) Guiding Principles

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, comprehensively and accurately apply the new development philosophy, adhere to the principle of “prevention first, integrated control,” accelerate the transformation of pest and disease management approaches, prioritize key crops, major pests and diseases, critical regions, and crucial stages, strengthen technological integration and innovation, and establish an environmentally friendly, ecologically compatible system of integrated pest and disease management. We will enhance monitoring and early warning capabilities, vigorously promote green control and unified pest‑management services, reinforce scientific and safe guidance on pesticide use, and, while effectively curbing pest and disease outbreaks and ensuring agricultural production safety, strive to achieve the goal of reducing chemical pesticide use.

(II) Basic Principles

First, we will uphold the integrated approach of reducing pesticide use while ensuring stable production. We will focus on enhancing the overall effectiveness of pest and disease management, ensuring that preventive efficacy is maintained and yields are not compromised despite reduced pesticide application. In this way, we will coordinate efforts to stabilize grain and key agricultural product output and supply, while simultaneously promoting the reduction of pesticide use and the improvement of its efficiency.

Second, we will uphold the dual emphasis on both quantity and quality. We will vigorously promote integrated, environmentally friendly pest and disease management throughout the entire crop production cycle and the judicious, safe use of pesticides, ensuring food security while placing greater emphasis on improving agricultural product quality and reducing pesticide residue contamination.

Third, we will uphold the coordinated development of production and ecology. We will strive to minimize the adverse impacts of pesticides on the environment and beneficial organisms, ensuring effective pest and disease control while safeguarding the stable growth of agricultural production, and placing greater emphasis on protecting farmland ecosystems and biodiversity.

Fourth, we will uphold the dual goals of cost reduction and efficiency enhancement. We will focus on optimizing disease‑and‑pest‑management technologies, integrating and promoting practical, affordable, and effective approaches, and placing greater emphasis on achieving an organic balance between reducing chemical inputs and costs while boosting yields and improving productivity.

(3) Objectives and Tasks

By 2025, a comprehensive crop pest and disease management system that is environmentally friendly and ecologically inclusive will be established and refined; the composition of pesticide use will become more balanced; the level of scientific and safe pesticide application will be comprehensively enhanced; and efforts will be made to ensure that the total volume of chemical pesticide use continues to decline.

— Chemical pesticide application intensity: For major food crops such as rice, wheat, and maize, the chemical pesticide application intensity (expressed as the hundred‑weight equivalent of chemical pesticides applied per unit area sown, the same below) is targeted to decrease by 5% compared with the 13th Five-Year Plan period; for cash crops such as fruits, vegetables, and tea, the chemical pesticide application intensity is targeted to decline by 10% relative to the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

— Green pest and disease management: Continuously refine integrated control strategies, increase the use of natural enemy insects, biopesticides, and physicochemical attractant‑trapping products, and strive to achieve a green pest and disease management coverage rate of over 55% for major crops. Production bases in key fruit, vegetable, and tea‑producing areas, as well as green agricultural industrial parks, will be virtually fully covered.

— Integrated pest and disease management: Innovating organizational approaches to control, with coverage of integrated pest and disease management for the three major grain crops—rice, wheat, and corn—reaching over 45%. Demonstration zones for green, high-quality, and efficient production of grains, cotton, oilseeds, and sugar crops, as well as modern agricultural industrial parks, have achieved near‑universal coverage.

III. Technical Approach

In accordance with the patterns of occurrence and the characteristics of damage caused by crop diseases and pests, we will adhere to a strategy of tailored measures, addressing both symptoms and root causes, and implementing integrated management. Emphasis will be placed on four key areas: substitution, precision, coordination, and integration.

First is “substitution”: replacing chemical pesticides with biopesticides, and phasing out outdated pesticides in favor of highly effective, low‑risk alternatives; likewise, upgrading to advanced, precision‑application machinery to replace older, less efficient equipment. Promote the use of biopesticides and highly effective, low‑risk pesticides that require lower application rates per unit area, along with water‑based and nano‑formulated formulations, while retiring inefficient, high‑risk pesticide products. At the same time, advance the adoption of energy‑efficient, resource‑saving application equipment, gradually decommissioning obsolete sprayers to enhance the overall efficiency of pesticide use.

Second, “precision” — that is, precise forecasting and prediction, timely and appropriate pest and disease management, and targeted application of pesticides. Strengthen automated and intelligent monitoring and early warning systems for crop pests and diseases to enhance the accuracy and sophistication of forecasts; intensify monitoring and management of pesticide resistance, promoting the use of site‑specific, rotation‑based, and appropriately timed and dosed pesticides; and promote efficient, precision‑application techniques such as target‑directed spraying, slow‑release pest control, and low‑volume spraying to improve the effectiveness of pest and disease management.

Third, “unified management”: cultivate specialized pest‑control service organizations and vigorously promote various forms of unified prevention and control. Strengthen support for the development of well‑equipped, technologically advanced, and professionally managed specialized service providers and new types of agricultural business entities; encourage the provision of comprehensive contracted services, as well as outsourced prevention and treatment, to advance the professionalization of pest‑control services. Promote the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomic practices, create field conditions conducive to the efficient operation of plant‑protection equipment, and foster the large‑scale expansion of unified prevention and control.

Fourth, “comprehensiveness”: strengthen integrated measures and promote the sustainable management of crop diseases and pests. Advance the integration of unified pest control with green pest‑management practices, shift away from an overreliance on chemical pesticides, and, tailored to local conditions, systematically promote and apply a suite of green control strategies—including ecological regulation, induced resistance, biological control, physicochemical trapping, and judicious use of pesticides—to reduce both the frequency and volume of chemical pesticide applications. At the same time, reinforce oversight of pesticide distribution and sales, and rigorously investigate and penalize illegal sales of prohibited or restricted‑use pesticides as well as any practices that mislead producers in their pesticide use.

IV. Key Tasks

(1) Initiative to Enhance Pest and Disease Monitoring and Forecasting Capabilities. Focusing on major pests and diseases affecting food crops and common pests and diseases of economic crops, this initiative promotes the informatization, intelligentization, and visualization of monitoring and forecasting. It calls for denser deployment of grassroots monitoring stations, with additional stations strategically located in source areas of major pest and disease outbreaks, migratory transition zones, recurrence hotspots, and high‑risk border regions. These stations will be equipped with advanced automated and smart monitoring devices to strengthen end‑point detection capabilities, including real-time monitoring, continuous tracking, and early warning. Accelerating the application of information technologies: Strengthen research and application of “Internet Plus,” big data, and other information technologies; establish and improve a comprehensive pest and disease monitoring and early‑warning information system to enable digital monitoring, networked transmission, and model‑based forecasting, thereby enhancing the capacity for automated perception of pest and disease conditions. Advancing precise prediction and forecasting: Refine the technical standards for monitoring and reporting, standardize monitoring, survey, and forecast‑dissemination practices, and institute a regular consultation mechanism to accurately assess outbreak trends, thus improving the timeliness and accuracy of guidance for prevention and control.

(II) Green Pest and Disease Control Enhancement Initiative. Grounded in the goal of reducing pesticide use while enhancing efficacy, this initiative will establish region- and crop-specific green control technology models and accelerate their integrated adoption and dissemination. It will make full use of ecological regulation measures, optimize crop rotation and spatial planning, and promote, on a site‑specific basis, resistant varieties, sound cultivation practices, crop rotation, deep tillage, and mechanical weeding to curb pest and disease outbreaks. Biological control will be vigorously promoted, with widespread application of natural enemies, plant‑derived pesticides, microbial pesticides, and fermented biopesticides, gradually reducing the intensity of chemical pesticide use. Physicochemical trapping and monitoring technologies will be employed judiciously, including light traps, sex pheromone traps, color traps, and food‑based attractants, alongside practices such as mulching for weed suppression and insect‑proof netting to minimize chemical pesticide inputs. Scientific and safe pesticide application will be advanced by promoting highly effective, low‑risk products with reduced dosages, guiding rotational and alternating use, and ensuring compliance with pre‑harvest safety intervals, thereby improving both the efficacy and efficiency of pesticide use. Demonstration and leadership will be strengthened: in line with the target of achieving green control coverage of at least 60%, 500 counties will be established as model areas for comprehensive, system‑wide implementation, serving as exemplars to drive and expand the large‑scale adoption of green pest and disease management practices.

(3) Initiative to Promote Specialized Pest and Disease Control. Support the development of specialized pest‑control service providers, vigorously advance integrated pest management, and accelerate the transformation of pest‑control organizational models. Cultivate specialized control entities: in major grain, cotton, oilseed, sugar, and fruit, vegetable, and tea production areas, as well as modern agricultural industrial parks, foster a group of well‑equipped, technologically advanced, and professionally managed specialized service organizations and new types of agricultural business entities. Increase financial support for service‑procurement projects and other initiatives, enabling these specialized service providers to play a leading role in disease and pest prevention and control. Establish 100 model counties for integrated pest management. In key grain‑producing regions—such as rice, wheat, corn, and potato—build 300 model counties where integrated pest management covers at least 50% of cultivated land, thereby guiding the standardized and large‑scale development of this approach. Elevate the overall level of integrated pest management by innovating service delivery methods, promoting the use of new, high‑efficiency plant protection machinery and precision application technologies, and advancing the integrated development of integrated pest management with green pest‑control measures, thus enhancing both the organizational sophistication and the scientific rigor of pest‑control efforts.

(4) Pesticide Use Monitoring and Assessment Initiative. Establish a support system for monitoring and assessing pesticide use, formulate monitoring and assessment procedures, and provide a scientific basis for reducing the application of chemical pesticides. Deploy monitoring stations: focusing on major grain-producing areas and regions with a strong advantage in cash crops, set up a network of pesticide-use monitoring sites to systematically track the types of pesticides used, application rates, usage intensity, and packaging waste. Develop an evaluation mechanism: define clear indicators for assessing pesticide use, conduct regular analyses and interpretations of monitoring data, and scientifically evaluate the efficacy of pest and disease control as well as the contributions to yield stability and income growth. Build a regulatory platform: institute a reporting system for pesticide-use monitoring data, refine pesticide‑statistical methodologies, and progressively establish a data‑management platform for pesticide use, thereby supporting the scientific, safe, and reduced‑use of pesticides.

(5) Campaign to Promote and Popularize Safe Pesticide Use. Strengthen efforts to disseminate knowledge on the safe application of pesticides, raise the level of scientifically sound pesticide use, and encourage reduced‑use practices. Intensify outreach and training: continue to advance the “One Million Farmers’ Training on Scientific and Safe Pesticide Use” initiative, leveraging radio, television, the internet, and other media to widely publicize proper pesticide‑use practices. Enhance technical guidance: dispatch experts to the field to provide on‑site advisory services and technical training, addressing challenges in pesticide‑application techniques, improving the rate of effective technology transfer, and elevating overall pesticide‑use standards. Explore the establishment of a pesticide‑safety‑use advisory system: pilot this model in key fruit, vegetable, and tea‑producing regions as well as major grain‑producing areas, guiding farmers to select appropriate products, apply them with precision, and use them safely; ensure strict adherence to pre‑harvest intervals to minimize the risk of pesticide‑residue contamination and enhance the quality and safety of agricultural products.

(6) Pesticide Use Supervision and Management Initiative. Promote the establishment of standardized pesticide‑retailing outlets to enhance service quality; strengthen, in accordance with laws and regulations, oversight of pesticide production, distribution, and application; and standardize related business and usage practices. Establish pesticide‑use records, focusing on agricultural product producers, specialized cooperatives, production bases, and large-scale growers, and require them to accurately document details such as the types, quantities, timing, and locations of pesticide applications. Enhance pesticide‑traceability management by expanding pilot programs for standardized retail outlets, rigorously enforcing purchase‑and‑sales ledgers at retail sites and the real‑name registration system for restricted‑use pesticides, and developing a big‑data platform to ensure full traceability of pesticide sales and use. Strengthen enforcement and supervision of pesticide‑related regulations by intensifying quality sampling and market inspections, and by strictly investigating and prosecuting violations of laws and regulations governing pesticide production, distribution, and use. Advance the development of a system for collecting and recycling pesticide‑packaging waste, steadily increasing the recovery rate of such waste.

V. Guarantee Measures

(1) Strengthen organizational leadership. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has established a Coordination and Guidance Group for the Pesticide Reduction Initiative, chaired by a ministry leader, with responsible officials from relevant departments and units serving as members. The Department of Crop Production Management, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center and the Pesticide Testing Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, will be responsible for the specific implementation. All localities are required to reinforce their territorial responsibilities; principal officials of agricultural and rural affairs departments must take personal charge, set up dedicated task forces with designated personnel to oversee implementation, formulate action plans tailored to local conditions, refine work measures, and ensure effective execution.

(II) Strengthen policy support. Enhance communication and coordination with departments such as the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, financial institutions, and science and technology agencies; proactively seek policy support from all stakeholders; establish and improve a stable funding mechanism to ensure the reduction of pesticide use; increase investment in projects aimed at enhancing plant protection capabilities; strengthen financial guarantees for pest and disease monitoring and early warning systems; and vigorously promote green pest control, integrated pest management, and the rational use of pesticides, thereby advancing both pesticide reduction and increased efficacy.

(3) Strengthen science and technology support. Adhering to a problem‑oriented and goal‑oriented approach, we will launch “challenge‑based recruitment” and joint research initiatives to address critical technological bottlenecks in production, while intensifying innovation and development of new green pesticide varieties. Expert panels will be established by region and crop, fully leveraging the supporting and safeguarding roles of researchers, educators, and extension specialists. We will encourage educational and research institutions, pesticide and application‑equipment manufacturers, and industry associations (societies) to capitalize on their strengths in technology, products, and information, thereby reinforcing the integrated development and widespread adoption of new products and technologies.

(4) Strengthen publicity and guidance. Make full use of media channels such as radio, television, newspapers, and the internet to widely promote the role and significance of reducing chemical pesticide use in advancing high-quality agricultural development, improving the quality of agricultural products, and protecting the ecological environment. Seek the attention and support of all sectors of society, as well as the cooperation and participation of agricultural producers, thereby fostering a favorable societal atmosphere for promoting pesticide reduction.

Source: Department of Crop Production, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs