Series of Commentaries on Strengthening the Agricultural Foundation to Secure a Moderately Prosperous Society ①: Seize the Critical Period

The “12th Five-Year Plan” period, now drawing to a close, has been an extraordinary five years. The economy and society have achieved steady development, with the achievements in agricultural and rural economic development particularly outstanding: grain output has exceeded 1,100 billion jin for 5 consecutive years and 1,200 billion jin for 3 consecutive years; the supply of major agricultural products such as cotton, oil, sugar, meat, eggs and milk has been sufficient, and the quality of agricultural products has remained stable and improving; farmers' incomes have grown at a double-digit annual rate, with the growth rate exceeding that of GDP and that of urban residents' incomes for 5 consecutive years; the level of modern agriculture has risen markedly, with major indicators such as the effective irrigated area of farmland, the contribution rate of agricultural scientific and technological progress, and the comprehensive mechanization level of cultivation and harvesting of major crops continuing to climb. The Chinese people have firmly held their rice bowls in their own hands, and farmers' wallets have grown ever fuller. It can be said that after five years of climbing slopes and overcoming obstacles, and of ceaseless striving, agricultural and rural economic development has now reached a new historical high point.

But at the same time, at this high point, we are also facing many old problems and new challenges. The agricultural foundation remains weak, and difficulties such as small operating scale and insufficient capacity for scientific and technological support have still not been fully resolved, while the various supporting factors for agricultural production are being stretched ever tighter. With consecutive years of bumper harvests, the prices of agricultural products have also declined somewhat, which has had some impact on farmers' income growth and their enthusiasm for production. During the “13th Five-Year Plan” period, it will be more difficult to maintain the sound momentum of sustained and steady agricultural and rural economic development, and agriculture has entered a critical period of strong offensive at a high point and defending the position at a high level.

The deeper one goes, the harder progress becomes. In particular, against the current backdrop of consecutive years of bumper harvests in agriculture and of declining fiscal revenue growth and heavier burdens, some views and voices in society have emerged that relax efforts in agriculture or even neglect agriculture, and we must have a clear understanding of this. A bowl of porridge and a meal may seem plain and unremarkable, but they are indispensable. Agriculture is a strategic industry that stabilizes the world and secures people's livelihoods; it bears on the income growth of hundreds of millions of farmers, safeguards the basic livelihood of the people, and supports the overall situation of economic and social development, and it must not be relaxed for even a moment.

Moreover, although the agricultural and rural economy has made remarkable achievements over the past five years, compared with industrialization, informatization and urbanization, agricultural modernization still lags behind and remains the “short leg.” It is impossible for us to sprint toward the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects while dragging a “short leg.” The Central Committee's recommendations for the “13th Five-Year Plan” proposed that agricultural modernization is the foundation for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realizing modernization. This is a new major judgment made by the Central Committee on the basis of a profound grasp of the laws of modernization development, showing that agriculture's fundamental, strategic and overall position has become even more prominent. We must take the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee as our guide, uphold the fundamental position of agriculture without wavering, vigorously advance agricultural modernization, and strive to achieve new breakthroughs and ascend to new heights.

Whether we can smoothly pass through this critical period depends on whether our thinking is on the right track and whether our measures are effective. We must strengthen our sense of hardship, take the initiative, conform to development trends, actively promote the “transformation of development modes and adjustment of structure” in agriculture, and work hard with full energy and solid effort. Of course, this is not about acting recklessly or blindly, but about identifying the right direction of effort and, in response to the constraints and problems currently existing in agricultural development, seeking breakthroughs by “prescribing the right medicine”: we must abandon the already unsustainable approach of relying on resources and consumption, and of using large amounts of water and fertilizer in exchange for high yields, and instead tap new growth potential by relying on scientific and technological progress and the improvement of workers' quality; we must persist in placing equal emphasis on quantity and quality, and pursue win-win outcomes in economic, social and ecological benefits; we must rely on deepening reform to further stimulate the vitality of agricultural and rural development, and rely on innovation-driven development to create a powerful engine for strong offensive at a high point and defending the position at a high level, driving agriculture to ultimately achieve transformation and upgrading from traditional to modern, and laying a solid foundation for the coordinated development of the “four modernizations” and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.