Urbanization, rural development and environmental health in China

For a long time, priority has been given to urban development at the expense of agriculture and the rural economy, so widening the gap between urban and rural areas in China. The way rapid urbanization has brought threats to the surrounding environment, and the consequent changes have implications for both rural and urban livelihoods and well-being. Urbanization has increased the pressure on farmers and makes it less economic to farm in a traditional way, while it also provides opportunities for alternative, higher value agricultural enterprises to take advantage of urban market. With more rural people moving into cities, occupational hazards of the working environments, low awareness of health risk, and poor living conditions make them more vulnerable to health risks than other groups. Several strategies particularly relating to agricultural reform and rural-urban migration need to be considered at the national level for sustainable cities. We also suggest ways of handling the delicate rural-urban relationship for smooth social transformation.