China’s plan to promote modern agriculture

english.gov.cn 2016-10-20

The Chinese government will take more measures to develop modern agriculture in the next five years, according to a plan released by the State Council on Oct 20.

The objective is to build an efficient, environment-friendly and resource-saving agriculture, improve farmers’ income and maintain the supply of agricultural products.

According to the plan, the national output of grain in 2020 is expected to reach 550 million tons, 50 million tons more than that in 2015. The personal productivity is expected to get to over 47,000 yuan, compared with just 30,000 yuan in 2015.

In order to achieve the goals, the State Council has called for the promotion of the agriculture restructure by upgrading plantation structure, improving the quality of animal husbandry and upgrading fishery industry.

It also plans to improve agricultural technology and the integration with information industry.

The plan also wants to reform the agricultural management, to set up a joint-stock system of rural collective asset, offering shares and dividend to rural residents.

The plan stressed balanced development of agriculture, with efforts to promote integrated development among primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, and to establish a productivity layout suitable for each region’s resources and environmental carrying capacity.

Cultivating professional farmers and new-type entities is another key task. It urged leading enterprises to lead rural residents develop moderate-scale management of farming.

It also highlighted green agriculture, calling for efforts to protect arable land, water resources, forests and wetlands, grasslands, fishery resources, and biodiversity.

To maintain agricultural environment, the plan urged to curb the use of fertilizer as well as pesticides, and to promote safe disposal of agricultural wastes.

It stressed the importance of ensuring agricultural product quality and safety, with efforts to establish a tracking system, improve the standardized production capacity and the leading role of high-quality agricultural product brands.

The plan also called for the expansion of external cooperation of agriculture industry, with efforts to optimize cooperation layout and promote the healthy development of the trade of agricultural products.

By relying on the country’s traditional edge in export trade sectors of fruits, vegetables, teas and aquatic products, China will establish a batch of demonstration bases for high-quality and safe agricultural products and cultivate a number of agricultural brands with international clout, said the plan.

In addition, it urged the improvement of rural infrastructures, build beautiful villages suitable for living, and promote the urbanization of rural migrants by providing them with permanent residency and equal access to public services.

Moreover, financial support will be reinforced for agricultural industry, including policies to optimize investment in agriculture and agricultural subsidies, said the plan

It also called for more efforts to improve policies in credit support, agricultural insurance, agricultural land use and market regulation for agricultural products.