An Analysis of the Role of Science & Technology and Economy Growth in Safeguarding China’s Food Security

Abstract: This study contributes to the literature discussing food security in China. This study holds food security to rest on two complementary dimensions: food availability and food accessibility. This study looks at both dimensions. It examines the food availability dimension by evaluating the effects of government’s expenditures on agricultural science & technology on China’s grain output. Running time series regression for the 1978-2006 period, it finds that governments’ expenditures on agriculture science & technology have played a positive important role in promoting grain domestic production, and thereby food security. Looking forward, it recommends that science & technology play a pillar role in promoting domestic production. This study examines the accessibility dimension of food security by evaluating the effects of growth on poverty. It focuses on poverty because the poor are most vulnerable to fall into food insecurity. Running time series for the 1978-2006 period this study finds that growth has been the engine of poverty reduction in China. However, looking forward this study concludes that, as income disparities continue to increase and salaries remain low in China, promoting growth is not sufficient to safeguard China food security in. Thereby, this study recommends complement the traditional free market policies promoting growth with policies implementing safety nets.