Interpretation of the Key Points of the 2015 National Agricultural Comprehensive Development Work
Under the new normal of economic development and fiscal revenue and expenditure, how can agricultural comprehensive development adapt to the new situation and achieve new breakthroughs? The key points of the 2015 national agricultural comprehensive development work recently issued by the National Agricultural Comprehensive Development Office have drawn the roadmap for agricultural comprehensive development at present and for a period to come, proposing that it is necessary both to adhere to effective practices and experience and to do some things and refrain from others, concentrate funds and concentrate strength to accomplish major tasks, tap new potential in raising grain production capacity, seek new breakthroughs in helping transform the agricultural development model, take new steps in supporting the development of appropriately scaled operations, and achieve new results in promoting agricultural efficiency and increasing farmers' incomes.
[Keyword]Innovative thinking——precise efforts at key links
Facing agricultural comprehensive development work under the new normal, the key points clearly propose taking the overall situation into view, consciously planning and advancing agricultural comprehensive development work within the overall situation of agriculture and rural work, identifying the breakthrough points and focus of work in the synchronous development of the new “four modernizations”, and proactively advancing reform and innovation, so that agricultural comprehensive development work better conforms to the central strategic decisions and arrangements and is more creative and vital.
The key points emphasize fully recognizing the unique advantages of agricultural comprehensive development in advancing agricultural modernization, scientifically positioning it in giving play to the “comprehensive” advantage, and making precise efforts at the key links in promoting agricultural modernization.
According to the key points, at present and for a period to come, agricultural comprehensive development will “always take concentrating strength on building high-standard farmland, improving comprehensive agricultural production capacity, and safeguarding national food security as the primary task, coordinate implementation of the overall plan for national agricultural comprehensive development high-standard farmland construction, and lay a solid foundation for accelerating agricultural modernization and developing various forms of appropriately scaled operations.” At the same time, it will “vigorously support agricultural industrialized operations, actively cultivate new types of business entities, improve the socialized service system, focus on building advantageous and characteristic industrial belts, promote the integrated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, and continuously enhance development benefits.”
The key points also particularly propose further advancing reform and innovation, renewing development concepts, finding new breakthrough points for development, and using reform methods to solve problems in development.
A careful reading of the key points shows that new thinking, new measures, and new paths can be seen everywhere——
Give play to the comprehensive advantage, use high-standard farmland as a platform to carry out pilot integration of agriculture-related funds, explore new ways to combine the two types of projects of land improvement and industrialized operations, and maximize the integration and demonstration effects of agricultural comprehensive development funds.
Advance streamlining administration, delegating power, and combining responsibility with authority. Further delegate approval authority and implement tiered management. Clarify the responsibilities of institutions at all levels, simplify management procedures, and “loosen restrictions” in management mechanisms and policies; “slim down” in support priorities and operations, and encourage all localities to adapt to local conditions, try first, and boldly innovate.
Innovate systems and mechanisms and enhance development benefits. Actively support new types of agricultural business entities in applying for, implementing, holding, and maintaining high-standard farmland construction projects; explore and formulate policies related to using agricultural comprehensive development to leverage financial and social capital investment; and further improve support policies for modern agriculture pilot projects.
[Keyword]Primary task——building high-standard farmland
According to the National Agricultural Comprehensive Development High-Standard Farmland Construction Plan, by the end of 2020, agricultural comprehensive development is to build 400 million mu of high-standard farmland and renovate 1,575 key medium-sized irrigation districts.
To this end, the key points clearly propose always taking concentrating strength on building high-standard farmland, improving comprehensive agricultural production capacity, and safeguarding national food security as the primary task. All provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) must strictly follow the implementation plan for high-standard farmland construction in their region, further clarify regional layout, construction goals, and work tasks, and concentrate strength on building high-standard farmland. Around designating permanent basic farmland and establishing grain production functional areas, implement grain ration production capacity down to the fields and plots, effectively consolidate and improve comprehensive agricultural production capacity, and truly realize “storing grain in the land.” Implement “using high-standard farmland construction as a platform to carry out pilot integration of agriculture-related funds,” encourage all localities to try first, advance concentrated investment of agriculture-related funds, and realize “seamless connection” between projects and projects and between funds and funds. At the same time, vigorously advance construction of medium-sized irrigation district projects, concentrate financial resources to support the renovation and extension of main canals and branch canals, and connect the “capillaries” for the “last mile” of already built high-standard farmland.
This year, the National Agricultural Comprehensive Development Office will actively support new types of agricultural business entities in applying for, implementing, holding, and maintaining high-standard farmland construction projects. Lower the “entry threshold” for new types of agricultural business entities to apply for and implement high-standard farmland projects, relax restrictions on the operating scale of farmers' cooperatives, specialized large households, and family farms, and support the development of various forms of appropriately scaled operations. Actively advance the transfer of assets formed after completion of high-standard farmland construction projects to new types of agricultural business entities such as farmers' cooperatives for holding, use, and maintenance, with asset returns shared by all members. Study and explore a new mechanism for the integrated construction, use, and maintenance of agricultural comprehensive development projects.