China’s changing food system: top-down and bottom-up forces in food system transformations

Abstract

In the past few decades, dramatic changes in China’s food system have generated economic, social and environmental consequences that jeopardise its sustainability. Both the Chinese state and civil society have responded to these challenges, with diverse initiatives. This special issue is the first to employ a broad “food system” lens to examine some of the critical changes in China’s land use, food production and consumption, and the responses of various actors to food system challenges. It sheds light on the top-down and bottom-up forces that shape and politicise the food system transformation.