Ministry of Agriculture Issues Notice to Further Promote the Sustainable and Healthy Development of Leisure Agriculture
This website news Leisure agriculture is an important livelihood industry and a new form of consumption, and has made positive contributions to improving agricultural efficiency, increasing farmers' incomes, improving the rural environment, and advancing economic and social development in China. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a notice making comprehensive arrangements for further promoting the sustainable and healthy development of leisure agriculture.
The Notice points out that developing leisure agriculture is an effective way to raise agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' incomes, an effective channel to expand employment capacity and promote social harmony, an important measure to pass on farming civilization and carry forward traditional culture, and an effective means to protect the ecological environment and build beautiful villages. To develop leisure agriculture, it is necessary to thoroughly implement the relevant deployment requirements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, closely focus on the goals and tasks of promoting farmers' employment and income growth and meeting residents' leisure consumption needs, take farming culture as the soul, beautiful countryside as the charm, ecological agriculture as the foundation, innovation and creativity as the path, and quaint villages as the form, integrate the development of leisure agriculture with the construction of modern agriculture, beautiful villages, ecological civilization, and cultural and creative industries, pay attention to standardized management, connotation enhancement, public services, cultural exploration, and atmosphere creation, and promote the formation of a development pattern featuring government supervision in accordance with the law, lawful operation by business entities, and civilized leisure by urban and rural residents.
The Notice proposes that by 2020, efforts should be made to make leisure agriculture a pillar industry that promotes agricultural efficiency, increases farmers' incomes, and improves the rural environment. The industrial scale should be further expanded, with the number of visitors received and operating revenue growing by 10% annually; a pattern of optimized layout, rich types, complete functions, and obvious characteristics should basically take shape; social benefits should be significantly improved, farmers engaged in leisure agriculture should see relatively rapid income growth, and the number of farmers nationwide benefiting should reach 35 million; the quality of development should be significantly improved, service levels should be greatly enhanced, and the capacity for sustainable development should be further strengthened.
The Notice emphasizes that safeguard measures promoting the development of leisure agriculture must be improved and implemented. First, continuously improve support policies for leisure agriculture. Earnestly promote the implementation of existing support policies, strive for policies such as enjoying agricultural charging standards for water and electricity use, increase investment in leisure agriculture through multiple channels, encourage small and medium-sized leisure agriculture enterprises and business households to achieve small-sum financing through mutual assistance and joint guarantees, and encourage farmers to participate in operations by contributing assets, funds, technology, and other factors as shares. Second, accelerate the advancement of public services for leisure agriculture. Accelerate the construction of public service platforms such as online marketing, online booking, and online payment, and comprehensively improve the industry's level of information-based services. Strengthen scientific and technological support, rely on scientific research and teaching institutions to establish a number of design research centers, planning centers, and creativity centers, and provide intellectual support for industrial development. Strengthen the monitoring and analysis of industry operations, and design and improve the monitoring and statistical system for leisure agriculture. Third, continuously strengthen publicity and promotion of leisure agriculture. Formulate and release a unified national logo for leisure agriculture, and promote its use. Build government information release and supply-demand information matching platforms in an all-round, multi-channel, and cross-platform manner. Encourage social capital to participate in the construction of leisure agriculture promotion platforms, do a good job in special publicity for leisure agriculture, and promptly summarize and promote development experience and advanced models from various regions. Fourth, effectively strengthen organizational leadership for leisure agriculture work. Deepen understanding from a strategic and overall perspective, place the promotion of leisure agriculture development in an important position, strengthen investigation, research, and planning guidance, implement responsibility division, form joint work forces, and jointly promote the sustainable and healthy development of leisure agriculture.
Attachment: Notice of the Ministry of Agriculture on Further Promoting the Sustainable and Healthy Development of Leisure Agriculture
To the leisure agriculture management departments of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities with separate state planning, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:
Leisure agriculture is an important livelihood industry and a new form of consumption, and has made positive contributions to improving agricultural efficiency, increasing farmers' incomes, improving the rural environment, and advancing economic and social development. In order to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 18th Central Committee, and the series of important speeches by General Secretary Xi Jinping, implement the relevant arrangements of Central Document No. 1, and further guide the sustainable and healthy development of leisure agriculture, the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows.
I. Fully understand the great significance of developing leisure agriculture
Developing leisure agriculture is an effective way to raise agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' incomes. Through developing leisure agriculture, it is conducive to driving the development of related industries such as catering and accommodation, agricultural product processing, transportation, construction, and culture, extending the agricultural industrial chain, and promoting positive interaction among the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries; increasing the multifunctional output per unit area of agriculture, improving comprehensive benefits, and increasing farmers' productive income; turning the front and back yards of farm households into business premises and increasing farmers' property income; ensuring that farmers' incomes continue throughout the four seasons and opening up new space for increasing farmers' incomes.
Developing leisure agriculture is an effective channel to expand employment capacity and promote social harmony. Through developing leisure agriculture, it is possible to effectively attract factors such as capital, technology, management, talent, and facilities to flow to rural areas, expand employment capacity, and enable farmers to find employment locally and nearby; cultivate a group of new-type farmers who are educated, understand business, and know how to manage, and drive the improvement of agricultural production, farmers' lives, and rural civility; promote the building of a new type of worker-peasant and urban-rural relationship, and enable the broad masses of farmers to participate equally in the modernization process and share in its achievements.
Developing leisure agriculture is an important measure to pass on farming civilization and carry forward traditional culture. Through developing leisure agriculture, it is possible to systematically integrate the cultural elements in agricultural production processes, farmers' labor and life, and rural customs and landscapes, promote the organic integration of traditional culture and modern civilization, and promote the development and prosperity of rural cultural undertakings and cultural industries; it is possible to respond to the new expectations of urban and rural residents for cultural consumption, develop and utilize agricultural cultural heritage, historic ancient villages, distinctive residences, and other historical and cultural resources and landscape resources, and achieve protection through exploration and inheritance through utilization.
Developing leisure agriculture is an effective means to protect the ecological environment and build beautiful villages. Through developing leisure agriculture, it is possible to effectively drive rural infrastructure construction, improve village appearance, and promote the improvement of the rural ecological environment; promote the transformation of agricultural production areas toward integrated development of production areas and scenic areas, and promote the construction of beautiful villages; raise farmers' awareness of protecting the ecological environment, and help transform advantages in rural ecology, landscape, and other resources into industrial and economic advantages.
II. Correctly grasp the overall requirements and basic principles for developing leisure agriculture
To develop leisure agriculture, it is necessary to thoroughly implement the relevant deployment requirements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, closely focus on the goals and tasks of promoting farmers' employment and income growth and meeting residents' leisure consumption needs, take farming culture as the soul, beautiful countryside as the charm, ecological agriculture as the foundation, innovation and creativity as the path, and quaint villages as the form, integrate the development of leisure agriculture with the construction of modern agriculture, beautiful villages, ecological civilization, and cultural and creative industries, pay attention to standardized management, connotation enhancement, public services, cultural exploration, and atmosphere creation, and promote the formation of a development pattern featuring government supervision in accordance with the law, lawful operation by business entities, and civilized leisure by urban and rural residents.
The basic principles that must be adhered to in developing leisure agriculture : First, take agriculture as the foundation and plan scientifically. It is necessary to take agriculture as the foundation, farmers as the main body, and rural areas as the carrier, encourage the use of barren hills, barren slopes, barren beaches, abandoned mines, and rural idle land to develop leisure agriculture, and prohibit excessive occupation of cultivated land. Second, adapt to local conditions and highlight characteristics. It is necessary to combine resource endowments, cultural history, transportation location, and industrial characteristics, and develop in suitable areas such as the suburbs of large and medium-sized cities and around scenic spots in accordance with local conditions, with highlighted characteristics, and in a moderate manner. Third, standardize management and strengthen services. It is necessary to increase education and training and publicity and promotion, formulate normative standards, guide industry self-discipline, and achieve standardized management and service standardization. Fourth, government guidance and multi-party participation. It is necessary to give play to the decisive role of the market in allocating resources, better give play to the government's role in macro guidance, standardized management, and other aspects, and mobilize the enthusiasm of all parties. Fifth, protect the environment and pursue sustainable development. It is necessary to follow the concept of combining development and protection and placing equal emphasis on production and ecology, comprehensively consider the carrying capacity of resources and the environment, increase efforts to protect the ecological environment, and achieve comprehensive and sustainable development of economic, ecological, and social benefits.
III. Further clarify the goals and tasks for developing leisure agriculture
By 2020, efforts should be made to make leisure agriculture a pillar industry that promotes agricultural efficiency, increases farmers' incomes, and improves the rural environment. The industrial scale should be further expanded, with the number of visitors received and operating revenue growing by 10% annually; a pattern of optimized layout, rich types, complete functions, and obvious characteristics should basically take shape; social benefits should be significantly improved, farmers engaged in leisure agriculture should see relatively rapid income growth, and the number of farmers nationwide benefiting should reach 35 million; the quality of development should be significantly improved, service levels should be greatly enhanced, and the capacity for sustainable development should be further strengthened.
——Focus on enriching types and promoting industrial clustering. All regions should, based on location advantages, resource endowments, historical culture, and market demand, and on the existing foundation, pioneer and innovate new models such as agricultural theme parks, and promote diversified and personalized development. Actively support farmers in developing agritainment using resources such as front and back yards as carriers, and encourage the development of agritainment cluster villages. Guide the development of leisure farm manors in suitable areas that expand agricultural functions, pass on farming culture, and are suitable for vacation experiences. Combined with the display of traditional farming culture, build leisure farms with functions of science popularization, education, and demonstration. Support collaboration and alliance among business entities, and focus on creating premium routes, characteristic industrial belts, and advantageous industrial clusters.
——Focus on creative design and promoting cultural inheritance. Attach importance to exploring rural cultural resources, and strengthen the creative design of agricultural products, farming landscapes, environmentally friendly packaging, local culture, and leisure agriculture business premises. Develop leisure products with local characteristics, promote the integration of agriculture with culture, science and technology, ecology, and tourism, and increase the added value of agricultural products. In accordance with the concept of combining inheritance and innovation, strengthen the protection of agricultural cultural heritage and ancient villages and ancient residences, develop leisure villages with cultural connotations, and promote the popularization, protection, and continuation of local folk culture.
——Focus on improving quality and promoting upgrading. Increase training for practitioners, incorporate leisure agriculture interpreters and guides into the vocational skills training system, and gradually advance the system of working with certificates. Establish talent introduction mechanisms and bring in a group of talents in planning and design, creative planning, and marketing. Accelerate the construction of infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity, communications, and safety protection at leisure agriculture business premises, and improve auxiliary facilities such as road signs, parking lots, tourist reception centers, public restrooms, and harmless treatment of garbage and sewage. Encourage the construction of supporting service facilities such as distinctive dining, accommodation, shopping, and entertainment according to local conditions to meet consumers' diversified needs. Improve the basic conditions for planting and breeding in leisure agriculture, and expand functions of science popularization display and demonstration promotion.
——Focus on standardized management and promoting ecological protection. It is necessary to increase the formulation and publicity of leisure agriculture standards, formulate relevant standards at different levels according to local conditions, and gradually advance standardized management and service standardization. Actively promote the building of industry associations and service organizations, and through self-service, self-management, and self-restraint, standardize competitive behavior and create a fair environment. Guide all leisure agriculture business entities to establish the concept of combining development and protection, and take the path of resource-conserving and environment-friendly development.
——Focus on demonstration creation and promoting brand cultivation. Encourage leisure agriculture business entities to create well-known brands that are widely recognized, widely spread, and enduring through factor flow, capital reorganization, and brand integration. Continue to carry out the creation of national leisure agriculture and rural tourism demonstration counties and demonstration sites, and drive the standardized and orderly development of leisure agriculture nationwide. Carry out brand cultivation projects centered on the promotion of China's most beautiful leisure villages, the promotion of China's beautiful countryside, and the national leisure agriculture star-rating assessment. It is necessary to permeate the concept of integrity throughout the entire brand building process and enhance credibility and competitiveness. Carry out creation and promotion activities for regional demonstration sites, characteristic villages, star-rated households, and premium routes, and cultivate distinctive local well-known brands.
IV. Improve and implement safeguard measures promoting the development of leisure agriculture
Continuously improve support policies for leisure agriculture. It is necessary to actively implement and create relevant support policies. Earnestly promote the implementation of existing support policies, strive for policies such as enjoying agricultural charging standards for water and electricity use, and encourage leisure agriculture business entities to seek time-of-use electricity pricing policies. In areas where leisure agriculture development is concentrated, it is necessary to seek preferential policies from local governments in areas such as sewage discharge fees and garbage treatment fees. With improving infrastructure as the focus, open up multiple channels, increase investment in leisure agriculture through multiple means, and especially support cultivated leisure agriculture brands. Encourage small and medium-sized leisure agriculture enterprises and business households to achieve small-sum financing through mutual assistance and joint guarantees, and encourage farmers to participate in operations by contributing assets, funds, technology, and other factors as shares. Encourage the inclusion of leisure agriculture in the categories of loan interest subsidies for leading enterprises in agricultural industrialization, startup loans for small and medium-sized enterprises, and poverty alleviation and development loans, so as to solve financing needs in the development process.
Accelerate the advancement of public services for leisure agriculture. Accelerate the construction of public service platforms such as online marketing, online booking, and online payment, and comprehensively improve the industry's level of information-based services. Strengthen scientific and technological support, rely on scientific research and teaching institutions to establish a number of design research centers, planning centers, and creativity centers, and provide intellectual support for industrial development. Strengthen the monitoring and analysis of industry operations, and design and improve the monitoring and statistical system for leisure agriculture. Strengthen industry organization services, and accelerate the formation of a socialized service system of self-management, self-supervision, and self-service.
Continuously strengthen publicity and promotion of leisure agriculture. Formulate and release a unified national logo for leisure agriculture, and promote its use. Improve the relevant functions of the National Leisure Agriculture Network, accelerate the development of intelligent terminals, strengthen links with local leisure agriculture websites, and build government information release and supply-demand information matching platforms in an all-round, multi-channel, and cross-platform manner. Encourage social capital to participate in the construction of leisure agriculture promotion platforms, do a good job in special publicity for leisure agriculture, and promptly summarize and promote development experience and advanced models from various regions. Select and integrate leisure agriculture business sites by season, region, and characteristics, and link them into a number of premium routes and premium scenic spots.
V. Effectively strengthen organizational leadership for leisure agriculture work
Agricultural departments at all levels should deepen their understanding of developing leisure agriculture from a strategic and overall height, and place the promotion of leisure agriculture development in an important position. It is necessary to strengthen institutional functions and team building, rationalize responsibility relationships, and establish an efficient management system. Earnestly perform the duties of planning guidance, supervision and management, and coordination services, organize the drafting of development strategies, policies, plans, and programs and guide their implementation, and effectively improve the ability to guide and promote the scientific development of leisure agriculture. Actively seek the attention and support of local governments, incorporate the development of leisure agriculture into local agricultural development target assessments, and include it in local economic development statistical indicator systems.
It is necessary to strengthen investigation and research, and formulate regional leisure agriculture development plans in conjunction with modern agriculture, beautiful villages, and new urbanization construction. Make a scientific and reasonable layout for leisure agriculture, and form a planning system linked with modern agricultural development, land use, urban construction, new rural construction, and tourism development. It is necessary to actively seek to incorporate leisure agriculture infrastructure and key project construction into local national economic and social development plans.
It is necessary tostrengthen the integration of forces, implement responsibility division, and form joint work forces. Strengthen coordination and cooperation with relevant departments such as development and reform, finance, land, tourism, taxation, finance, and insurance, establish a management mechanism involving agriculture, tourism, and other relevant departments, actively seek leisure agriculture support policies and measures, and jointly promote their implementation, so as to jointly promote the sustainable and healthy development of leisure agriculture.
Ministry of Agriculture
November 26, 2014