December 2013: Describing the key pressures and impacts on water quality from agricultural and rural activities in China, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a set of guidelines that propose good agricultural practices, as well as economic and regulatory actions to minimize pollution.

The ‘Guidelines to Control Water Pollution from Agriculture in China’ seek to decouple water pollution from agricultural production by exchanging knowledge on addressing non-point source pollution and identifying the causes of pollution and assessment opportunities. They discuss the general role of agriculture in water pollution and pollution from a variety of sources, including soil erosion and sedimentation, pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation and drainage, livestock and crop waste, freshwater aquaculture, agricultural villages and towns, and reclaimed wastewater use for agriculture.

The guidelines present options for water quality monitoring, as well assessments and solutions related to regulatory framework, and economic instruments. They provide examples of the application of the guidelines in South and Southeast Asia. [Publication: Guidelines to Control Water Pollution from Agriculture in China] [FAO Water Quality Overview]