Exploring Water-and-Land-Adapted Spatial Layout of Crop Planting in North China

Abstract

: North China has specific regional advantages in the overall economic and social development of China, and water resources are the most prominent factor that affects the sustainable development of this region. This study focuses on the land spatial layout of water-and-land-adapted planting in North China. Based on the analysis of agricultural planting structure and water and land resource layout in the current year (2018) of North China, and considering varied population, climate, and socio-economic scenarios and water resource constraints, the study proposes a scheme for optimizing the agricultural planting layout in North China that adapts to local water and land resource conditions. We suggest that the burden on production and supply of commercial grain and other commercial agricultural products in North China should be appropriately reduced. In terms of improving the regional water resource carrying capacity, Hebei Province should alleviate its water shortage through water transfer. Shanxi Province should improve the agricultural water use efficiency through agricultural mechanization and modernization. Shandong Province and Henan Province can moderately fallow the land and improve forest and grass coverage. It is also recommended to optimize the spatial layout of agricultural planting and adjust the planting structure to adapt to water. In shallow groundwater overexploitation areas as well as Tianjin City and the southeast of Hebei Plain where deep groundwater overexploitation is severe, semi-arid land planting systems and structures that adapt to precipitation should be developed, and the specific recuperation period should be determined according to the rate of groundwater recharge.