Committee member Li Jian suggests accelerating the move toward modern agriculture, ecological agriculture and high-efficiency agriculture

China Economic Net, Beijing, March 14 (Report) - Today, Li Jian, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Beijing Institute of Technology, said while appearing on China Economic Net's "China Economic Online Interview Special Program——Focus on the 2015 Two Sessions" that China's agriculture currently needs to transform its mode of production, accelerate the transformation of agricultural production methods and the development of modern agricultural technology, and realize the transition to modern agriculture and ecological agriculture. He said that currentlyagricultural products prices have already hit a ceiling and are already considerably higher than agricultural product prices abroad, mainly because the output efficiency of agriculture still needs to be improved.

Li Jian, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Beijing Institute of Technology, appeared on "China Economic Online Interview Special Program——Focus on the 2015 Two Sessions"

Developing soft fields is of great significance to the environment and food safety

Among committee member Li Jian's proposals this year, one topic concerns strengthening the development of soft fields. According to him, soft fields are a model of agricultural ecology, with water stored year-round, and when rice needs to be planted in the stored water, rice is planted. Ducks can also be raised and released in the fields, and fish can be raised, forming circular agriculture. He believes that soft fields are of very great significance to the environment and to food safety.

He further pointed out that because soft fields store water year-round, according to estimates, if 10,000 mu of such farmland were all to store water, the water storage capacity would be equivalent to a small or medium-sized reservoir, so soft fields both perform the function of a reservoir and at the same time perform the function of a wetland, which is very meaningful for the surrounding ecological environment. In terms of output, because this production model does not use pesticides, pests can be eaten by ducks and crabs, and the food is also very safe. In addition, because soft fields have both rice and aquaculture, the comprehensive economic benefit is also very high.

Transforming the mode of production to solve multiple difficulties in rural areas

When speaking of the difficulties currently faced by rural development, Li Jian said that, first, most rural areas in China carry out small-scale production with the family as the unit, have not formed economies of scale, and have relatively low efficiency. Second, advanced technology and large-scale mechanization cannot be carried out. Third, the extensive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers has caused pollution problems in rural areas, while the output efficiency of cultivated land is not high, and agricultural product prices have already reached ceiling level. In addition, farmers' business awareness is also relatively weak.

Li Jian believes that to solve such difficulties, it is necessary to accelerate the transformation of agricultural production methods. In addition, modern farmers must also master information and technology. He said: “Farmers do not grasp market demand information and supply information, because farmers only care about planting, not about demand, not about the market. When they see prices rise this year, they plant hard next year, everyone plants, so the year after next prices will certainly fall. Therefore, demand information is very important.”

Li Jian also said: “If the state gives sufficient subsidies and implements large-scale production, relying on modern science and technology and on modern new farmers, through these models, I believe our agriculture will certainly develop well.”

He pointed out that agricultural development must rely on reform and innovation, strengthen the development of modern agricultural technology, and use scientific and technological progress to improve production efficiency. Second, rely on scientific and technological management to realize large-farm operations, thereby promoting the industrialization of agricultural products, so that farmers' incomes can truly be raised. In addition, national support is also needed. He believes that although China already has many subsidies, the intensity of subsidies for China's agriculture is far from sufficient.

Rural labor going out to work may be a good thing

At present, there is a phenomenon of a large number of young rural laborers going out to work. Li Jian believes that this problem is a universal phenomenon and an inevitable reflection, and there is no need to worry too much about it; it is caused by the low production efficiency in rural areas. “Young people moving toward cities and toward developed areas is an inevitable trend of social development.” But Li Jian also said: “If we ignore it, it may also bring agricultural safety problems, but if we face this problem squarely, it may also turn into a good thing.”

He pointed out: “We must carry out reform in rural areas, develop modern agriculture, develop ecological agriculture, increase the scientific and technological content of agriculture, implement modern management models, and only this kind of organizational model can improve rural production efficiency.” Young people going out to learn modern management techniques and ideas will in the future bring them back to rural areas, combine this new knowledge with traditional agriculture, and transform the traditional decentralized operation model. In this way, not only will it not weaken the position of our agriculture, it may also bring benefits to the future development and reform of China's agriculture.

In terms of cultivating new-type farmers, Li Jian pointed out that one is to strengthen training for farmers and popularize awareness of modern operations; the second is to cultivate young people, because young people accept new ideas relatively quickly and can introduce modern technology and management awareness into rural areas. In addition, he also said that rural areas have many surviving material cultural heritages and some good production techniques, and patent training can be strengthened so that people can apply to protect their own advanced technology, and through the protection of patent authorization, farmers can obtain greater returns.

Agricultural product prices have already hit the ceiling

“The prices of agricultural products have already reached a ceiling.” Li Jian pointed out that the prices of China's agricultural products are even higher than the prices of some high-quality agricultural products internationally. In terms of production, the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides raises costs and also brings food safety problems. Therefore, if today's agriculture is to develop and food safety is to be guaranteed in the future, it cannot develop without changing the current operation model.

In addition, grasping demand information is very important. He suggested that farmers unite to establish cooperatives and mutual-aid organizations, that farmers join cooperatives, sell surplus grain to the cooperatives, and that the cooperatives handle external sales in a unified way. In this way, they can sell when prices are high and stockpile when prices are low, which can ensure that farmers have relatively high incomes. On the consumption side, they can buy machinery, seeds, chemical fertilizers, and so on in batches and in unity, so that they can buy the cheapest chemical fertilizers and the cheapest agricultural [inputs]. (Compiled by a China Economic Net reporter based on the transcript)