Development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas needs to be accelerated

Anhui is a major agricultural province and also a major province in the use of agricultural machinery. At present, the province's total agricultural machinery power has reached 63.65 million kilowatts, ranking fourth in the country; the comprehensive mechanization level of crop cultivation and harvesting has reached 69.6%, 8 percentage points higher than the national average. However, the development of agricultural mechanization is still in a state of unbalanced and uncoordinated development. Agricultural mechanization has developed relatively rapidly in plain areas, while progress in mountainous areas has been relatively slow, which has become a “bottleneck” constraining the development of local modern agriculture.

Accelerating the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas is an urgent requirement for raising the overall level of agricultural mechanization and advancing agricultural modernization, and is an effective way to promote increased efficiency in mountain agriculture and increased income for farmers. We must fully recognize the importance of accelerating the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas, seize the excellent opportunity presented by farmers' increasingly urgent demand for mechanization, overcome unfavorable factors such as the impact of mountain geography and landforms, weak agricultural infrastructure, and complex and diverse crop varieties, and, in light of provincial conditions and the realities of mountainous areas, further clarify development thinking, highlight key links, adopt effective measures, and solidly advance the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas.

I. Carrying out scientific research and tackling key problems is the foundation——treat the research and development of machinery and tools for mountainous areas as foundational work, organize and carry out joint technical efforts to tackle key problems, scientifically determine the technical route for agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas, and carry out targeted research and development of machinery and tools suited to agricultural production in mountainous areas.

First, organize and carry out joint efforts to tackle key problems. Integrate scientific research forces, organize agricultural machinery extension, technology research and development, and other institutions to carry out joint efforts to tackle key problems with higher education institutions, research institutes, and production enterprises, focusing on strengthening the research and development of small and medium-sized agricultural machinery suited to the characteristics of mountainous areas and machinery for the production and processing of advantageous specialty agricultural products. At the same time, actively organize applications for and strive to obtain key science and technology projects such as the National Science and Technology Support Program and agricultural industry science and technology programs, using projects as support to attract social scientific research forces studying mechanization with mountain characteristics to participate in tackling key problems. Second, scientifically determine the technical route. In light of the realities of mountainous areas, achieve the “two combinations”: that is, adhere to combining agricultural mechanization with industrialization, do a good job in links such as seed selection, seedling raising, planting, plant protection, management, harvesting, grading, packaging, storage, and processing, and provide agricultural mechanization support before, during, and after production; adhere to combining portability and safety with conservation and environmental protection, and in the selection of machinery and tools, not only adapt to the characteristics of poor operating conditions for agricultural machinery in mountainous areas and take portability and safety as the basic requirements of advanced and applicable agricultural machinery, but also conform to the general direction of ecological and environmental governance in mountainous areas and develop conservation-oriented, environmentally friendly, green agricultural machinery. Third, strengthen targeted research and development of machinery and tools. Fully take into account the diverse characteristics of agricultural mechanization technologies and machinery and tools in mountainous areas. In the mechanization of grain and oil crop production, focus on developing small rice transplanters and rice harvesters suited to small fields in mountainous areas, as well as small direct-seeding machines for rapeseed and machinery for transplanting and harvesting. In the mechanization of production and processing of specialty agricultural products, focus on developing machinery for tea picking and processing, peeling of hickory nuts, removing chestnut husks, chrysanthemum drying, plant protection for fruits and vegetables, vegetable planting, preliminary processing of moso bamboo, as well as weeding, pruning, fertilizing, and intercultivation in tea gardens and orchards, so as to better meet the needs of agricultural mechanization development in mountainous areas.

II. Strengthening technology extension is the key——treat technology extension as key work, give play to the role of agricultural machinery technology extension institutions as a link connecting agricultural machinery manufacturers, scientific research units, and farmers, persist in putting trials and demonstrations first, cultivate farmers, agricultural machinery operators, and other final carriers of agricultural machinery technology application, and vigorously promote agricultural mechanization technology in mountainous areas.

First, give play to the “link” role. Relying on agricultural machinery technology extension institutions, accelerate the promotion and application of new machinery and new technologies through demonstrations (exhibitions) and observation of new machinery and new technologies, as well as on-site teaching and field guidance by technology extension personnel. Closely integrate with the realities of agricultural production in mountainous areas, screen and determine a group of key agricultural mechanization technologies suited to the characteristics of mountainous areas, and, using agricultural mechanization demonstration and extension projects and agricultural machinery science and technology household projects as handles, vigorously promote advanced and applicable machinery and technologies suitable for operations in mountainous areas and in greater demand by farmers. Second, put trials and demonstrations first. Adhere to the approach of “trial, demonstration, extension,” accurately select key crops and key links, and, in conjunction with the implementation of agricultural machinery trial and demonstration projects in mountainous areas, establish demonstration plots and demonstration points, and promote the extension and application of advanced and applicable agricultural mechanization technologies in mountainous areas through “showing farmers by doing and guiding farmers to do.” Third, strengthen farmer training. Put technical training for farmers, agricultural machinery operators, and large agricultural machinery households in the primary position, and, in conjunction with the implementation of projects such as new-type professional farmer training, the Sunshine Project, and science and technology household projects, increase training efforts. Farmers, agricultural machinery operators, and large agricultural machinery households must not only understand machinery performance and operating essentials, but also be taught standardized operation techniques, safe operation techniques, and so on. Make full use of on-site meetings, demonstration meetings, technical training classes, sending science and technology to the countryside, radio and television, and other multiple forms and channels to educate and train farmers, focus on cultivating a large number of new-type professional farmers, and drive the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas.

III. Promoting deep integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy is the core——treat strengthening the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy as fundamental work, and focus efforts on improving working mechanisms, determining application models, and advancing demonstration construction.

First, establish a working mechanism for the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy. A joint meeting system should be established. Departments such as agricultural machinery, agricultural technology, plant protection, seeds, and agricultural scientific research should strengthen contact and communication and consultation, and coordinate and solve the difficulties and problems encountered in the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas. In particular, in the planting and processing of products such as tea, chestnuts, and moso bamboo, as well as mechanized rice seedling raising and transplanting, expert groups organized by agricultural machinery and agronomy technical personnel should be established to strengthen technical guidance and form a working mechanism in which agricultural machinery and agronomy experts conduct joint research and collaborative efforts to tackle key problems. Second, explore application models for the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy. Mountainous areas have diverse crop varieties. It is necessary to select representative crops with obvious specialty advantages and key links, and, in conjunction with mechanization trial and demonstration projects in mountainous areas, actively carry out pilot projects for integrated technology models of agricultural machinery and agronomy. Give full play to the role of expert groups, and on the basis of pilot projects, study and propose production routes and technical models, formulate scientific, reasonable, and mutually adapted agronomic standards and mechanical operation specifications, and lay the foundation for implementing standardized production. Third, advance demonstration construction for the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy. Strengthen leadership and guidance for the construction of demonstration counties, demonstrate and drive broad numbers of farmers to apply a group of advanced technologies in which agricultural machinery and agronomy in mountainous areas are organically integrated and mutually promoted, and provide examples that can be learned from, compared with, and replicated for the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy in mountainous areas throughout the province and the advancement of modern agricultural development.

IV. Strengthening socialized services is the guarantee——treat strengthening socialized services as important work, support and strengthen socialized service entities with cooperatives as the focus, improve and perfect the socialized service system with operations, maintenance, supply, intermediary, and leasing services as the main content, and improve the operating mechanism of socialized services.

First, vigorously cultivate socialized service entities. Establish a diversified investment mechanism guided by fiscal funds and supplemented by farmers themselves, agricultural production and operation service organizations, and other social investment, and support the development of socialized service entities. Support agricultural machinery households in developing into specialized agricultural machinery households, guide agricultural machinery households and farmer households to join cooperatives with machinery and tools, land, funds, technology, and so on, and create agricultural machinery cooperatives in multiple ways. Make supporting agricultural machinery cooperatives the focus, strengthen business guidance, and give policy preference in project arrangements, personnel training, machinery and tool purchases, and so on. Carry out “cooperative-enterprise co-construction,” “bank-enterprise co-construction,” and demonstration cooperative selection activities to promote the standardized development of agricultural machinery cooperatives. Actively promote horizontal association and vertical collaboration among agricultural machinery service entities, encourage and guide agricultural machinery cooperatives to establish federations, joint-stock operating companies, agricultural machinery leasing companies, and so on, and improve the degree of organization of services. Second, accelerate the construction of a socialized service system. Adhere to taking agricultural machinery households as the foundation, agricultural machinery service organizations as the main body, agricultural machinery intermediary services as the link, and agricultural machinery operations, maintenance, supply, intermediary, and leasing services as the main content, and establish and improve the socialized service system for agricultural machinery in mountainous areas. Actively cultivate the agricultural machinery operation market in mountainous areas, and encourage various types of agricultural machinery socialized service entities to provide low-cost, convenient, all-round, and high-quality agricultural machinery operation services. Accelerate the cultivation of the agricultural machinery maintenance market in mountainous areas, focus on building a rationally laid out, standardized, convenient, and efficient agricultural machinery maintenance service network, and meet the machinery and tool maintenance needs of mountainous areas. Vigorously develop agricultural machinery intermediary services in mountainous areas, carry out operation information consultation and matching services, and build a bridge of communication for both supply and demand sides. Third, strive to improve the socialized service mechanism. In accordance with the requirements of service specialization, market-oriented operation, and service branding, rationally allocate production factors through market mechanisms, and further improve the operating mechanism of socialized services. Guide agricultural machinery cooperatives to establish democratic decision-making systems, give play to the functions of the members (representatives) assembly, board of directors, and board of supervisors, improve the level of scientific decision-making, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of members; establish production management systems, strengthen cost accounting, and improve the efficiency of machinery and tool use; establish systems such as income distribution, strengthen financial management, standardize surplus distribution, and further mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of cooperative members.

Promoting the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas is a systematic project. Relevant departments must earnestly perform functions such as planning guidance, supervision and management, coordination services, guaranteeing investment, and scientific and technological research and development, and strive to form a working pattern of departmental linkage, joint management, and concerted efforts to advance. Strengthen policy support, focusing on giving policy preference in project support, fiscal support, scientific research investment, machinery purchase subsidies, and land for agricultural mechanization production facilities, ancillary facilities, and supporting facilities, and support and promote the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas. Strengthen publicity and guidance, make full use of television, radio, newspapers, the internet, mobile phone text messages, and other news media to widely publicize agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas, and create a good environment for promoting the development of agricultural mechanization in mountainous areas.