How is food safety guaranteed? Agriculture Minister Han Changfu: The agricultural sector must step up
As China's economy enters a new normal, reform enters deep water, and economic and social development enters a new stage, the internal and external environment for agricultural development is undergoing profound changes, and the need to accelerate the building of modern agriculture has become more urgent.
To advance the development of modern agriculture, what is the most urgent task at present? How should we develop modern agriculture? A reporter interviewed Agriculture Minister Han Changfu on these questions.
Han Changfu said that at present, for the agricultural sector to adapt to the new normal and advance the development of modern agriculture, the most urgent task is to vigorously push forward the transformation of agricultural development methods and structural adjustment.
He pointed out that in recent years China's agricultural modernization has accelerated, but various risks and structural contradictions have also been accumulating and gathering, most notably in the following: the constraints of tightening agricultural resources and worsening ecological environment have become increasingly prominent, the challenges of changes in the rural labor force structure have become increasingly prominent, the problem of imbalance in agricultural production structure has become increasingly prominent, and the contradiction between the low comparative efficiency of agriculture and the inversion of domestic and international agricultural products prices has become increasingly prominent. To respond to these real challenges in agricultural development, it is necessary to accelerate “transforming methods and adjusting structure.”
He also pointed out that improving the quality and efficiency of agricultural development also urgently requires accelerating the advancement of agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure.” At present, China's agricultural development method is still a coexistence of traditional and modern. Although agricultural technology, facilities and equipment conditions have gradually improved, the problems of underdeveloped “capillaries,” the “last kilometer” not being in place, and the low utilization rate of agricultural inputs have not yet been fundamentally solved. 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 China is a major producer in crop farming and livestock raising, the comparative advantages of agricultural regions have not yet been fully brought into play, and the incomplete and disconnected agricultural industry chain remains a weak spot.
On the other hand, China's acceleration of agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure” is facing a rare opportunity. Han Changfu said that at present China's major agricultural products are in ample supply, providing a guarantee for agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure”; the full implementation of the new national food security strategy has left room for agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure”; the rise in agricultural product consumption levels has added driving force for agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure”; and the ample supply in the international agricultural product market has provided conditions for agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure.”
He pointed out that in transforming methods, the focus is to truly shift agricultural development from mainly quantitative growth to placing equal emphasis on quantity, quality and efficiency, and from relying on resources and material inputs to truly relying on scientific and technological progress and improving the quality of laborers. In adjusting structure, the focus is, according to changes in market demand and the characteristics of resource endowments, to scientifically determine the self-sufficiency level of major agricultural products, the order of production priorities and regional layout, and, on the premise of ensuring “basic self-sufficiency in grains and absolute security of staple food,” to continuously optimize the structure of crop farming and livestock raising, the product structure and the regional structure. To this end, it is necessary to grasp the following aspects well:
More attention should be paid to improving grain production capacity and tapping new potential in grain production. No matter how methods are transformed or structures adjusted, grain production capacity must never be lowered or cultivated land reduced; this is a bottom line that must be upheld. Stabilizing grain output is the premise, and enhancing grain production capacity is fundamental.
More attention should be paid to the quality and safety of agricultural products to ensure “safety on the tip of the tongue.” Modern agriculture is first and foremost agriculture with quality and safety. Consumers should not only eat their fill and eat well, but also eat safely and with peace of mind, and the agricultural sector must take on this responsibility. It is necessary to persist in grasping both “producing it well” and “managing it well,” with both hands firm. On the one hand, vigorously advance standardized production; on the other hand, continuously strengthen supervision.
More attention should be paid to technological innovation and innovation in business methods to promote agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' incomes. Modern agriculture should be highly efficient agriculture. It is necessary to improve agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' incomes through various channels. It is necessary to advance agricultural scientific and technological innovation, build a new type of agricultural operation system, develop appropriately scaled operations, and improve the efficiency of agricultural product processing and distribution.
More attention should be paid to the protection of agricultural resources and the environment to achieve sustainable agricultural development. Modern agriculture must be resource-conserving and environmentally friendly agriculture. It is necessary to persist in placing equal emphasis on “protection” and “governance” and resolve to take the path of sustainable development. First of all, we must ensure that no new debts are incurred and gradually allow overdrawn agricultural resources and the environment to recuperate.
More attention should be paid to adapting to market demand and resource conditions and optimizing and adjusting the industrial structure. Modern agriculture must be an industry that adapts to market changes and satisfies market demand, and must be an industry that is based on resource endowments and fully brings comparative advantages into play. It is necessary to further optimize the regional layout of agriculture, further optimize the structure of crop farming and livestock raising, and further develop the multiple functions of agriculture.
More attention should be paid to utilizing both markets and both types of resources to improve agricultural competitiveness. China's agriculture is already in a fully open international macro-environment and large market. To advance agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure,” we must also have a global vision and plan agricultural development strategy against the backdrop of globalization. It is necessary to advance the opening up of agriculture and strive to build a policy system for agriculture “going global.”
Han Changfu said that advancing agriculture's “transforming methods and adjusting structure” is a long-term task, a systematic project, and also work with a strong policy dimension. It is necessary to pay attention to grasping the rhythm and methods, and to adhere to correct guiding ideology and principles. The foremost is to uphold the principal position of farmers and respect farmers' wishes. Farmers are the main body of “transforming methods and adjusting structure,” and their wishes and autonomy in management must be respected. The focus of government departments is to do a good job in planning guidance and services, summarize and promote advanced experience, and create a favorable market environment; it is essential to avoid overstepping one's role and resorting to administrative orders. It is necessary to adhere to market orientation and respect economic laws. It is necessary to deeply study demand characteristics and market trends, be good at using market information to guide agricultural production, be good at driving agricultural production through market circulation chains, and be good at using market methods to guide and organize agricultural production, so as to prevent being blindly led by trends and “rushing in like a swarm,” only to be punished by the market and complained about by farmers. It is necessary to proceed from reality and give play to comparative advantages. It is necessary to comprehensively consider the resource endowments, industrial foundations, locational advantages and market conditions of various places, strengthen classified research, scientifically formulate plans, adapt measures to local conditions, and guide action according to circumstances, so as to improve the scientific nature of the work and the pertinence and effectiveness of policies. (Economic Daily reporter Zhang Xue)