Han Changfu stresses unswervingly accelerating the transformation of the agricultural development model

At the Central Economic Work Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that we must unswervingly accelerate the transformation of the agricultural development model, continue to consolidate the foundation for the stable development of agriculture, and stabilize the continuously improving situation in rural areas. At present, the environment for China's agricultural development is undergoing profound changes, and the task of accelerating the transformation of the agricultural development model and advancing agricultural modernization is extremely urgent. Agricultural and rural work must follow the general requirements of stabilizing grain output and increasing farmers' incomes, improving quality and efficiency, and driven by innovation, and strive to achieve breakthroughs in transforming the development model.

I. The task of accelerating the transformation of China's agricultural development model is extremely urgent

In 2014, under the pressure of increased downward pressure on the economy, China's grain production achieved a record “eleventh consecutive increase”, and farmers' incomes achieved an “eleventh consecutive rapid rise”. At the same time, the building of modern agriculture advanced steadily, the contribution rate of agricultural scientific and technological progress reached 56%, and agricultural production is achieving a major shift from mainly relying on increased inputs of resource factors to mainly relying on scientific and technological progress. On the whole, in recent years China's agriculture has been steadily advancing toward the goal of modernization. But it must also be noted that there are still many long-term contradictions constraining China's agricultural and rural development, various new risks are accumulating, and agricultural modernization remains the “short board” in the synchronized development of the “four modernizations”. Agriculture and rural areas are the “ballast stone” that safeguards sustained and sound economic development, the “reservoir” that regulates labor employment, and a new growth point for expanding consumption. Promptly making up this “short board” is not only necessary for agriculture itself to transform and upgrade and consolidate its foundation, but also the source of confidence for China's economy to adapt to the new normal of development, stabilize market confidence, expand room for maneuver, and respond to risks and hidden dangers. Premier Li Keqiang stressed at the Central Rural Work Conference that we must accelerate the advancement of agricultural modernization and promote the transformation of the agricultural development model.

Raising the comprehensive efficiency of agriculture urgently requires accelerating the transformation of the agricultural development model. In recent years, the cost of agricultural production has been in an “upward channel”, with costs such as labor and agricultural machinery operations rising very quickly, and the prices of inputs such as seeds, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides are also not cheap, so the “floor” of agricultural production costs keeps rising. The landed prices of major international agricultural products have fallen below the prices of comparable domestic products to varying degrees, and further price increases for agricultural products have encountered a “ceiling”. State support for wheat, corn, rice, and other crops is already close to the upper limit of commitments made upon WTO accession, and increased “amber box” support has also encountered a “ceiling”. Under the squeeze of two “ceilings” and one “floor”, the comparative efficiency of agriculture has declined. In particular, as large numbers of farmers migrate to cities for work, part-time farming, the aging of farmers, and the hollowing out of rural areas are accelerating, and the problems of “who will farm the land” and “how to farm the land” are becoming increasingly prominent. The only way out is to rely on transforming the agricultural development model and promoting improved quality and efficiency, cost savings, and reduced consumption in agriculture.

Achieving sustainable agricultural development urgently requires accelerating the transformation of the agricultural development model. In recent years China's agriculture has developed steadily, with total grain output exceeding 1.2 trillion jin for two consecutive years. These achievements have not come easily, but no small price has also been paid, and the agricultural resource environment has already shown a “red light”. Ecological damage is severe and carrying capacity is increasingly approaching its limit; the intensity of resource development and utilization is too great and the string is being pulled tighter and tighter; and problems such as agricultural non-point source pollution, declining cultivated land quality, and groundwater overexploitation are becoming increasingly prominent. In particular, after the problem of food and clothing has been solved, the public's demands on the ecological environment and the quality of agricultural products are growing higher, with zero tolerance for agricultural product quality and safety problems. These problems have obvious stage-specific characteristics and force agriculture to accelerate the transformation of its development model, break free from the two “tightening bands” of the agricultural ecological environment and the constraints of resource conditions, and take the path of sustainable development.

Improving agricultural competitiveness urgently requires accelerating the transformation of the agricultural development model. At present, China's agricultural development model still features the coexistence of the traditional and the modern. Although agricultural technology, facilities, and equipment conditions have gradually improved, the “capillaries” are underdeveloped and the utilization rate of agricultural inputs remains low; although new types of business entities are developing rapidly, small-scale operations still account for the majority, limiting the improvement of agricultural labor productivity; although the agricultural product market system has taken initial shape, agricultural production still cannot escape the troublesome cycle of “too much when there is too much, too little when there is too little”; and although China is a major country in crop and livestock production, the comparative advantages of agricultural regions have not yet been fully brought into play, the agricultural industry chain is incomplete, and the market competitiveness of agriculture is not strong. Only by accelerating the transformation of the development model and promoting innovation in agricultural science and technology and in business models can the industrial quality and comprehensive competitiveness of agriculture be improved.

II. Accurately grasp the key tasks of transforming the agricultural development model

Accelerating the transformation of the agricultural development model means pushing agricultural development to truly shift from mainly pursuing quantitative growth to placing equal emphasis on quantity, quality, and efficiency, from mainly relying on the consumption of material resources to relying on scientific and technological progress and improving the quality of laborers, from mainly competing over ecology and the environment to focusing on green, circular, and sustainable development, and from extensive operation to intensive operation, taking the path of modern agricultural development with high output, safe products, resource conservation, and environmental friendliness.

Pay more attention to improving grain production capacity and tap new potential in grain production. In transforming the agricultural development model, the primary task is to stabilize grain production, improve grain production capacity, ensure national food security in a lasting way, and firmly hold the rice bowl in our own hands. Support policies must be implemented, the two enthusiasms of farmers for farming and growing grain and of main producing areas for emphasizing agriculture and grasping grain must be protected and mobilized, and the sown area of grain, especially the sown area of cereals, must be stabilized. We must accelerate the building of high-standard farmland that gives stable yields despite drought or excessive rain, designate permanent basic farmland, implement actions to protect and improve cultivated land quality, promote the building of grain production functional zones, and achieve “storing grain in the land”. We must carry out research on green yield-increasing models and high-yield creation, focus on promoting standardized high-yield, high-efficiency, green, and environmentally friendly technical models, and achieve “storing grain in technology”. Grain output cannot always increase, but there must never be a major slide.

Pay more attention to the quality and safety of agricultural products and ensure “safety on the tip of the tongue”. Modern agriculture is first and foremost agriculture with quality and safety. We must persist in grasping both “producing it well” and “managing it well”, with both hands firm. On the one hand, vigorously promote standardized production in animal husbandry, fisheries, fruits, and vegetables, and focus on building a number of standardized agricultural production bases and well-known agricultural product brands. On the other hand, continuously strengthen supervision, promptly improve the standards system and monitoring and evaluation system for agricultural product quality and safety, launch the building of a traceability management information platform, improve regulatory institutions and mechanisms, and vigorously grasp law enforcement supervision and concentrated rectification to comprehensively raise the level of agricultural product quality and safety. In 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture will carry out pilot projects for the creation of national agricultural product quality and safety counties in 100 main producing counties of “shopping basket” products, exploring and establishing a set of effective, practical, and replicable regulatory models. At the same time, intensify animal disease prevention and control and consolidate the foundation for the quality and safety of livestock and poultry products.

Pay more attention to the protection of agricultural resources and the environment and achieve sustainable agricultural development. Modern agriculture must be resource-conserving and environmentally friendly. We must persist in placing equal emphasis on protection and governance, first ensuring that no new debts are incurred in resources and the environment, and then gradually repaying historical debts, so that overstretched agricultural resources and the environment can recuperate. On the one hand, effectively intensify protection of cultivated land, water, grasslands, waters and mudflats, resolutely implement the strictest cultivated land protection system and the system for economical and intensive land use, develop ecological circular agriculture, and improve resource use efficiency. On the other hand, we must fight the tough battle of controlling agricultural non-point source pollution and strive to achieve by 2020 the “one control, two reductions, three basics” goals, namely controlling the total amount of agricultural water use, reducing the total amount of chemical fertilizer and pesticide application, and basically turning plastic film, straw, and livestock and poultry manure into resources. At the same time, with the goal of creating beautiful villages, continuously improve the rural living environment.