Core Insights - The importance of arable land as a fundamental resource for national food security is increasingly prominent, with limited total arable land resources in China and significant issues related to land degradation [1][2] Group 1: Current State of Arable Land - China's total arable land is stable at 1.8 billion acres, with over 1 billion acres of high-standard farmland established, maintaining a grain output of over 1 trillion jin [1] - The average quality of arable land is low, with an average grade of only 4.76, and 22% of the land classified as low-grade (grades 7 to 10), totaling over 40 million acres [1] - Issues such as land degradation in fragile ecological areas and rapid quality decline in intensively used agricultural regions directly impact the scale and quality of grain production [1] Group 2: Challenges in Arable Land Management - A significant bottleneck in improving arable land quality is the lack of backup resources, with a reduction of nearly 30 million acres compared to the last survey [2] - The phenomenon of "occupying the superior and compensating the inferior" in land compensation leads to quality imbalances, with some regions resorting to environmentally damaging practices [2] - Soil pollution is a critical issue, with approximately 20 million hectares of farmland contaminated by heavy metals, and excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers contributing to soil degradation [2] Group 3: Strategies for Improvement - To protect arable land, it is essential to implement a strict protection system while enhancing land quality through systematic governance and comprehensive measures [3] - The approach should include preventive measures, combining engineering, biological, and agronomic strategies, and encouraging scientific crop rotation and fallow practices [3] - Strengthening technological innovation and establishing a collaborative system among research institutions, universities, and agricultural producers is crucial for improving land conservation and productivity [4] Group 4: Sustainable Utilization Mechanisms - Establishing a long-term mechanism for sustainable land use is vital, balancing economic development with land protection [4] - The relationship between land protection and agricultural production, particularly food production, presents significant challenges that require innovative institutional mechanisms to mobilize all stakeholders [4]