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This dissertation, Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) in the Pearl River Delta Region and China's Accession to the WTO by Pun-ho, Chan, 陳本好, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract of the thesis entitled Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) in the Pearl River Delta Region and China's Accession to the WTO submitted by Chan Pun Ho for the degree of Master of Philosophy at The University of Hong Kong in December 2003 China's 1978 Open Door Policy and the associated economic and rural reforms have affected agriculture and rural developments in the PRDR. With specific reference to six original and self-developed assessment principles derived from a synthesized theoretical framework of sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD), Agenda 21 and China's Agenda 21, it is found that SARD cannot be fully achieved in the Delta region before China's accession to the WTO (1979-2000). The key SARD component of relative self-sufficiency of agricultural production was not considered in the national and provincial Ninth (1996-2000) and Tenth (2001-2005) Five-Year Plans. Furthermore, those agricultural and rural legislations, embedding the idea of sustainability, have not been enforced properly at local levels. As a result of few consultation channels and absence of civic education among the rural people, they have been inactive to express ideas in rural policy-making. For the local officials, in order to get promoted, they have only pursued economic growth in the region and they have not been well-trained in rural resources management and environmental protection. Inadequate supplies of modern machinery and facilities have led to low quality production systems of seeds and breeds. Although education and training programs on the practices of science and technology in sustainable agriculture have been provided for the rural people, the number of local agricultural scientists has been small, hindering the developments of science and technology for SARD. The converted marginal land is neither fertile nor productive, rather unsuitable for farming. Since December 11, 2001, China has become one of the 146 WTO members. Her WTO accession marks another turning point for agriculture and ruraldevelopment in the PRDR. Referring to the SARD assessment principles, the accomplishment of SARD in the PRDR may be enhanced after China's entry into the WTO. Existing and new laws, integrated with the idea of sustainability, will be further revised and made in consistence with the WTO rules. There will probably be more FDIs, and hence bringing in advanced foreign science and technology, and scientists in the PRDR. More education and training on SARD and the WTO rules will be given to government officials and local residents. Making the best use of green box policies, monetary and technical supports from the provincial and local governments on the reinforcement of SARD will be further provided for the farmers. Although SARD may be promoted in the region after China's WTO accession, the attainment of SARD is not complete. It is suggested that rural community and social groups should be involved in rural policy-making. Besides, environmental and political education should be extended to kindergarten level. In addition, sustainable farming practices should be advocated through various schemes and legislations. Moreover, employment guarantee schemes should be established to provide social safety nets for the rural unemployed. DOI: 10.5353/th_b2928839 Subjects: Sustainable agriculture -...

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