How can seed industry reform unleash innovation momentum?

“Grain security underpins the world, and seeds cast the cornerstone.” Seeds are a fundamental agricultural production factor and the most important carrier of agricultural science and technology. To ensure that the rice bowl of the Chinese people is mainly filled with Chinese grain, we must first ensure that China's grain is mainly grown from Chinese seeds. In recent years, the State Council has successively issued three documents on the development of the modern seed industry, sounding the call to deepen the reform of the seed industry system. A series of new seed industry policies have been introduced one after another, and a package of reform plans has been advanced in a coordinated manner. This is a practical action to deepen the reform of the science and technology system and enhance the vitality of scientific and technological innovation, marking the opening of a new round of seed industry reform.

Deepening the reform of the seed industry system must give play to the decisive role of the market. Seed industry reform that has entered the “deep-water zone” requires greater determination and courage, and the boldness to break through the existing rules and regulations of the system. In particular, in deepening the reform of the seed industry science and technology system, resources must be allocated according to the decisive role of the market, and the vitality of scientific research and innovation must be stimulated. Attention must be paid to and skill be shown in using market methods and incentive measures, making it clear that innovators obtain rights and interests such as technical equity and options in the industrialization of achievements, so that they can justifiably receive more returns on their rights and interests.

Deepening the reform of the seed industry system requires building a public platform for equal competition. Today's reform is not patchwork targeting a single link or a single system, but a systemic reform of the seed industry system. The precondition for the market to allocate resources is to ensure that seed industry resources can flow freely in a fair market environment. Government departments should build a sound public platform that promotes equal competition, open up channels for resource flow, activate the seed industry technology market, allow seed industry achievement resources to flow in an orderly manner in a well-regulated market, and promote the confirmation of rights and listing, valuation as equity contributions, and fair trading of achievements.

Deepening the reform of the seed industry system requires grasping the key issues of a foundational nature. First, breakthrough new varieties. Efforts must be concentrated in key areas to carry out market-oriented joint research by industry, universities and research institutes, with varieties as the main line and enterprises as the main body, so as to achieve breakthrough progress in variety breeding. Second, national-level bases. National-level breeding and seed production bases are precious strategic resources and must be advanced through a combination of central support, local responsibility, social participation and market operation. Third, innovative talent. Innovation-driven development is in essence talent-driven. Through special and flexible talent policies, the flow of innovative talent and resources to enterprises must be accelerated, and the principal role of enterprises in technological innovation must be strengthened.

There are no precedents to follow in reform; it must be continuously explored in practice. Some reform measures that are deep-seated and wide-ranging can be tried first in pilot programs, seeking the “greatest common divisor” of all parties in the pilots. Through continuous investigation, piloting, error correction and summarization, the successful practices and experience in reform practice should be systematically summarized and distilled, elevated into policy measures and institutional arrangements, and formed into a joint force for deepening seed industry reform.