Such measures should be coupled with reforms that improve technical assistance for farmers and remove the price distortions from the fertiliser market so that agricultural production decisions take into account the true costs of the inputs being used. Recent efforts by the government to encourage the application of new farm technologies may also help. Despite recent government reforms, China’s grassland continues to suffer degradation that can have important long-term economic and ecological effects. Grassland accounts for 40% of China’s total land area and is the feed base for livestock.