How to carry out agricultural drought relief work effectively? Persistence is key
On the afternoon of August 6, Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu chaired a special meeting to convey the spirit of the important instructions and written comments of central leading comrades on doing a good job in drought relief work and the spirit of the special meeting of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, and to study opinions on further implementation. The meeting emphasized that it is necessary to earnestly implement the central leadership's instructions and the spirit of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters meeting, persistently do a good job in agricultural drought relief work, remain unshaken in the goal of fighting disasters to secure a bumper harvest, effectively implement all disaster relief measures, strive to reduce production losses in severely drought-affected areas, avoid production losses in lightly drought-affected areas, and increase production in non-drought areas, and go all out to secure a bumper autumn grain harvest.
The meeting pointed out that central leaders have made important written comments on the current drought relief work, and the special meeting of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters put forward clear requirements. Agricultural departments must earnestly implement them, fully recognize the severity and possible persistence of the current drought, further do all aspects of agricultural drought relief work, and persist in ensuring that as long as the drought is not lifted for even one day, drought relief will not stop for even one day. In response to the current drought, the Ministry of Agriculture has dispatched 11 working groups and expert groups to go deep into severely affected areas to carry out work supervision and technical guidance, promote the implementation of various disaster prevention and mitigation measures, and smoothly carry out all aspects of agricultural drought relief work.
The meeting emphasized that since the drought is severe in some local areas at present, support for key drought-affected areas should be increased. Continue to dispatch 6 agricultural drought relief work guidance groups led by department and bureau-level officials, organize experts to formulate technical guidance opinions, guide all localities in scientific drought relief, and strive to reduce disaster losses. Implement fiscal support and subsidy policies as soon as possible, and do a good job in follow-up agricultural disaster relief work. It is necessary not only to do the current drought relief work well, but also to take a long-term perspective, adopt comprehensive measures, earnestly do a good job in agricultural water-saving technology, develop dryland farming through multiple channels, and reduce the impact of drought on agriculture.
The meeting emphasized that at present, while focusing on drought relief work, attention should be paid to four aspects: first, pay attention to autumn soil moisture in key drought-affected areas and winter wheat sowing, organize carefully, make arrangements in advance, and ensure the smooth progress of autumn and winter planting; second, pay attention to the problems of rising planting costs and declining farmers' incomes in drought-affected areas, strengthen market monitoring, and provide support in a timely manner; third, pay attention to overwintering forage for animal husbandry, and increase the collection and storage of crop straw; fourth, pay attention to the problem of promoting early maturity of crops such as northern japonica rice, southern late rice, and corn in northern Heilongjiang, promote normal growth and development, and ensure safe maturity.
The meeting required that public opinion guidance work be done well, vigorously publicize the effective measures of combining long-term and immediate approaches and adopting comprehensive policies by agricultural departments in all localities, as well as good practices and good experience in drought relief, and strive to create a good atmosphere for fighting drought to secure a bumper harvest.