Pushing Rural Revitalisation
Key policy document sets goals for China’s rural work for %$%&
China has outlined nine key tasks for comprehensively promoting rural revitalisation this year in the “No.1 central document” of 2023 released on 13 February. As the first policy statement from China’s central authorities each year, the document, entitled Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council on Promoting the Key Work of Rural Revitalisation in an All-round Way in 2023, is seen as a key indicator of the government’s policy priorities. Work on agriculture and rural areas has been high on the agenda for 20 consecutive years since 2004.
The document calls for enhanced efforts to stabilise production and ensure the supply of grain and important agricultural products, boost the construction of agricultural infrastructure, strengthen support for agricultural science, technology and equipment, consolidate the achievements in poverty alleviation, and promote high-quality development of rural industries.
The document notes that rural revitalisation is key to achieving the most arduous and heavy task of building a modern socialist country in all respects.
With the world witnessing changes on a scale unseen in a century and a rise in uncertainties and unpredictable factors, China’s development has entered a period of coexistence of strategic opportunities, risks and challenges, the document says, adding that it is extremely important to maintain the bedrock of “agriculture, rural areas and farmers” in a solid and healthy manner, as there is no room for error.
Ensuring food security
Among the nine key focus areas for rural revitalisation, the first relates to stable supply of grain and important agricultural products, which reflects the government’s
continued emphasis on food security in line with its long-term strategy.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing on 14 February, Tang Renjian, director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs and minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said that a country’s strengths are built on self-sufficiency in grain supply, as well as the independence of key technologies and supply chains.
Despite the COVID-19 epidemic and natural disasters last year, the country managed to achieve a record high grain output of 686.5 million tonnes, and the plantation of oil crops - for which China has been heavily reliant on imports - also expanded significantly.
Tang said farmers have been given incentives to intercrop soybeans and corn in multiple areas, and rotate the two crops in northeast China and in the vast areas surrounding the Yellow and Huaihe rivers. Steady progress has also been made in growing soybeans on barren saline and alkaline land.
The year also saw rural per-capita incomes rise 4.2 percent to reach 20,133 yuan ($2,937.4), which is 1.2 percentage points higher than the growth of the GDP, and 2.3 percentage points higher than the growth in urban per-capita incomes, he added.
To ensure the stable production and adequate supply of grain and other important agricultural products, the government will hold the “red line” of at least 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares) - an area about the size of South Africa - of arable land for these crops, and strictly control land use. The document also underlines the tasks to maintain the annual grain production at over 650 billion kg, expand the acreage of soybeans and oil crops, and develop modern facility agriculture.
China will make plans for transforming all of its permanent basic farmland to high-quality farmland, invigorate its seed industry and strive to make key technological breakthroughs in agriculture, Tang said.
To achieve these goals, the document puts forward specific measures, including piloting comprehensive use of saline soil, advancing construction of major water conservancy projects, and developing high-efficiency water-saving farming.
In December 2020, China announced a major victory in poverty alleviation. China has lifted its entire population of rural impoverished residents out of poverty under the current income standard. It has removed all poor counties from its poverty list, and eradicated absolute poverty.
What is the next step in rural development? The document provides a clear blueprint.
It highlights the need to consolidate achievements in poverty alleviation. It lists the measures that need to be taken to broaden the channels for farmers to increase their incomes and promote their ability to secure their wealth, improve the rural governance system led by the CPC organisations, strengthen policy guarantees, and create structural and institutional innovation.
China will strive to ensure that more than 60 percent of central government subsidies for rural revitalisation are used for the development of local industries, according to the document.
Tang stressed the importance of cultivating industries and businesses that leverage local strengths. China will work harder to help people in hitherto poor areas to gain stable employment, Tang said, noting that the country will make sure that more than 30 million people who have shaken off poverty are employed.
Prevention of poverty relapse is a key goal of rural development. Tang called for efforts to accelerate development in poor areas and narrow the income and development gaps between rich areas and less affluent regions.
Building beautiful countryside
China’s rural revitalisation drive also entails creation of a beautiful and harmonious countryside that is desirable to live and work in.
The document underscores the need to improve the rural living environment and enhance rural infrastructure in key aspects such as roads, water supply systems and power grids, as well as reinforcing the security of rural housing.
“Efforts should aim at ensuring modern living conditions in rural areas,” said Tang, adding that the country will improve public facilities and services, so that farmers can enjoy a modern life where they are now.
In the meantime, the introduction of modern lifestyle will be done in a way that it will not erode traditional rural features.
While modern elements are integrated into the countryside, the original rural characteristics will be preserved and highlighted, Liu Huanxin, head of the National Rural Revitalisation Administration, told Xinhua, envisioning a countryside that establishes modern facilities, but without losing its local charm.
A country’s strengths are built on selfsu$ciency in grain supply, as well as the independence of key technologies and supply chains.
TANG RENJIAN Minister of agriculture and rural a-airs