Question

what steps did mao zedong take to increase food production?

Answer 1

He allowed the government to take control of the agriculture.
He insisted on production of more grains 
He insisted on protection from famines
He earned from exporting the productivities from China. 
He encouraged self-sufficiency and asked people to cultivate food for themselves and for business.
He promoted free speech and criticism
He put into action "The great leap forward"
He promoted steel production and encouraged backyard steel factories, so that economy may rise and nobody starves.

Answer 2

The name of Mao Zedong implies talk about China. He was a chinese  communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the people's Republic of China.

Mao Launched the 'Great Leap Forward' . This aimed  at mass mobilisation of labour to improve agricultural and industrial production.

People in commune  gave up their ownerships of tools.

The communes  provided all that was needed., including entertainment.