Non-point source pollution from agriculture is characterized by its dispersed and random occurrence, uncertain discharge, fluctuating concentrations, diverse pollutant types, and widespread, high-volume impact, making its management a global challenge. At present, the prevention and control of non-point source pollution in China remains a challenge due to unclear overall pollution levels, and the estimation of non-point source pollution load varies greatly among different departments or researchers. Based on decades of site-specific experiments and holistic observational data, it was believed that even though both the national pollution census data and estimations from researchers have overestimated the proportion of pollution emissions from plantations in the total amount of non-point source pollution, the total emissions from plantation remain high and must be given adequate attention and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in controlling non-point source pollution in China, scholars from the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed the 3R (Reduce-Retain-Restore) and 4R (Reduce-Retain-Reuse-Restore) strategies for agricultural non-point source pollution control. Accompanied by upgrades in prevention and control technology, optimization of combinations, technological productization, and equipping the 4R strategy has gradually evolved and expanded into 4R⁺, providing theoretical support and practical guidance for the control of non-point source pollution in China. After being implemented in some typical areas, these strategies have resulted in successful experiences and case studies in controlling agricultural non-point source pollution. Nevertheless, the prevention and control of agricultural non-point source pollution still faces many challenges. A deeper understanding of the interaction mechanisms between soil and pollutants is pivotal. Moreover, to achieve efficient resource recycling, it is imperative to enhance the purification and recovery rates of key pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, ensuring that agricultural productivity is increased while simultaneously reducing the environmental pollutant load.