TY - JOUR T1 - Impressions of soil and water conservation in China JF - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation SP - 122 LP - 124 VL - 36 IS - 3 AU - Paul M. Howard Y1 - 1981/05/01 UR - http://www.jswconline.org/content/36/3/122.abstract N2 - A look at soil and water conservation efforts in the People's Republic of China reveals a land in transition. Land and water management in China still depends upon labor-intensive, centuries-old practices. At the same time, the Chinese seem eager to learn about and adopt new science and technology for solving their resource-related problems. The land and agriculture China is slightly larger than the United States. But China's land area of 3.7 million square miles (9.6 million square kilometers) has a much higher proportion of hills, mountains, and hot, dry basins that are unsuitable for agriculture. About 11 percent of the country is under cultivation, compared with 17.5 percent of U.S. land, yet China's population of nearly 1 billion people is almost four times that of the United States. Fortunately, much of China is subtropical, making it possible to produce several crops a year. Modernizing its agriculture is one of China's four major economic priorities. This modernization calls for improved crop varieties, plant protection, fertilizer and agricultural chemicals, irrigation, soil conservation, and water management. While more developed countries could assist China in making these improvements, it … ER -