Work

Feeding today, thirsting tomorrow? China’s food security responsibility and unsustainable water use

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Using county-level designation as major grain-producing counties to capture China’s food security responsibility (FSR), we examine its impacts on water sustainability. Our findings are three-fold: (1) FSR significantly reduces terrestrial water storage (TWS) and groundwater storage (GWS); (2) Heterogeneous effects are stronger in main grain areas, become more pronounced after the Food Security Governor Responsibility System Evaluation (FSGRSE), are more significant where TWS and GWS decline is more severe, and amplify under low-precipitation conditions; (3) Further analysis shows irrigation expansion is the mediating channel from FSR to TWS and GWS decline, with a stronger mediation effect in fiscally constrained counties. These results suggest that the institutional design of FSR induces unsustainable water use, highlighting a trade-off between “feeding today” and “thirsting tomorrow.”

Source: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2026.1709574

Authors: Gang Wu, Shuai Hao, Jingru Chen, Changyi Jiang, Yiting Wang, Yu Zhong

Institutions: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Renmin University of China, Agricultural Information Institute

Language: English

Topic: Water resources management and optimization

Subfield: Ocean Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Clean water and sanitation, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,353