Two deployments of agricultural modernization in two years: what is the Central Government's deeper meaning?
"Several Opinions on Further Deepening Rural Reform and Accelerating Agricultural Modernization" is expected to become next year's Central Document No. 1
The 2015 Central Document No. 1 will focus on the "three rural issues" for the 12th consecutive year.
The Central Rural Work Conference that closed yesterday focused its discussion on the theme of agricultural modernization and discussed the "Several Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Further Deepening Rural Reform and Accelerating Agricultural Modernization (Discussion Draft)." According to past practice, after discussion and revision, this discussion draft will formally become the 2015 Central Document No. 1.
The 2014 No. 1 Document took "comprehensively deepening rural reform and accelerating agricultural modernization" as its theme and made comprehensive arrangements for rural reform. The 2015 No. 1 Document is expected to continue the approach of deepening reform and accelerate the transformation of agricultural production methods.
Zheng Fengtian, a professor at the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University of China, told the Shanghai Securities News, "In the past, when agricultural modernization was mentioned, it was acceptable to pay any price to ensure the security of grain quantity, but now the connotation of agricultural modernization is clearly different. It places more emphasis on ensuring sustainable development at a relatively low resource cost, with equal importance given to quantity, quality and efficiency."
Agricultural modernization is the foundation and support of national modernization, and it is still a prominent "weak link" at present. The meeting emphasized that tapping the consumption potential of farmers, the largest group, can better give play to the basic role of consumption; agricultural and rural infrastructure and public services are backward, and there is huge demand for new investment. Making good use of this space can better give play to the key role of investment; making the agricultural industry bigger and stronger can form many new industries, new business forms and new models, and cultivate new growth points for the economy.
On advancing agricultural modernization, the meeting gave directions: first, vigorously develop agricultural industrialization. Promote the integrated interaction of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries; second, actively develop moderate-scale operations in various forms. Guide and regulate the orderly transfer of land management rights, develop various new types of agricultural business entities, and avoid "non-grain" and "non-agricultural" use; third, build a resource-conserving and environment-friendly agriculture; fourth, increase agricultural policy and funding support. Coordinate and integrate agriculture-related funds, innovate agricultural investment and financing mechanisms, and improve the financial support system for agriculture; fifth, make good use of both markets and both types of resources.
The National Agricultural Work Conference, held alongside the Central Rural Work Conference, refined next year's priorities: in 2015, it is necessary to adhere to the main line of stabilizing grain and increasing income while adjusting structure, and improving quality and efficiency while transforming methods, deepen rural reform, promote scientific and technological innovation, and accelerate the building of modern agriculture. Continuously raise the contribution rate of agricultural scientific and technological progress and the utilization rate of agricultural resources.
In terms of land system reform, it proposed guiding the orderly transfer of land management rights and developing moderate-scale agricultural operations; expanding pilot projects for the confirmation, registration and certification of contracted land management rights, and consolidating the foundation for innovation in the agricultural operation system; advancing reform of the rural collective property rights system and protecting farmers' property rights and interests.