Agricultural modernization requires a convergence of theoretical efforts
--A review of theoretical achievements at the 2016 Annual Conference of the Chinese Association of Agricultural Economics
A few days ago, the 2016 Annual Conference and Academic Symposium of the Chinese Association of Agricultural Economics was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Centered on the theme "Advancing supply-side structural reform in agriculture and vigorously developing modern agriculture," this year's annual conference aimed to provide theoretical support for addressing hot and difficult issues in China's agriculture and rural areas under the current new situation and new challenges, and for accelerating agricultural modernization.
Making up for shortcomings in industrial development and product forms through reform
"Supply-side structural reform in agriculture" was one of the hot terms at this year's annual conference. Attending experts believed that this reform focuses on resolving the current contradiction in the agricultural structure of coexisting phased oversupply and insufficient supply, and is a targeted, strategic measure aimed at issues in agricultural and rural development. It is necessary to focus on three tasks: destocking, reducing costs, and making up for shortcomings. Destocking should be achieved through adjusting and optimizing the corn industry layout, reforming the grain purchase and storage system, combining agriculture and animal husbandry, and adding value through processing; reducing costs should be achieved by adjusting research approaches, transforming business models, and promoting industrial integration; making up for shortcomings should focus on the quality and safety of agricultural products, investment in agricultural infrastructure, and protection of the agricultural ecological environment, so as to ensure sustainable agricultural development.
Experts proposed that supply-side structural reform in agriculture should build a modern agricultural industrial system targeting shortcomings in industrial development and product forms. To address shortcomings in industrial development, in terms of vertical extension, it is necessary to build a complete industrial chain from field to table through industrialization, organization, and large-scale operations, and to extend the agricultural supply chain and value chain; in terms of horizontal expansion, it is necessary to accelerate rural industrial integration and promote the development of leisure agriculture and sightseeing tourism; in terms of advancing breadth and depth, agriculture should connect with development forms such as "Internet Plus," informatization, and intelligentization, giving rise to new industries and new business forms.
Promoting product upgrading and industrial chain extension through science and technology
To develop modern agriculture, science and technology must play a leading role. Attending experts proposed strengthening scientific and technological innovation and the application of results in key areas under industrial guidance, vigorously making breakthroughs in a number of key technologies, and achieving a transformation in the global agricultural science and technology field from "following" and "running in parallel" to "leading."
In agricultural research and development innovation, it is necessary to base efforts both on demand for high-end, segmented, and diversified products and on demand for green, high-quality, and safe products. It is necessary to strengthen the dominant position of agricultural research institutions and universities as innovation entities, continuously increase investment of agricultural science and technology fiscal funds, enhance the autonomy of innovation entities in allocating resources, establish a stable mechanism suited to the requirements of scientific research innovation, strengthen the building of talent teams for agricultural science and technology innovation, and accelerate international cooperation and global layout in agricultural science and technology.
Strengthening rural development capacity and agricultural competitiveness through policy
For agriculture to transform and upgrade, targeted policies that strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich farmers are indispensable. Attending experts proposed that as agricultural and rural reform is deepening, practice is developing, and circumstances are changing, policy creation must run the concept of inclusive sharing throughout, and establish and improve a system of agricultural support and protection policies under the new situation.
Some experts proposed establishing an equal, efficient, high-quality, and all-round policy system covering urban and rural grassroots levels and urban and rural residents, unifying planning and layout, resource allocation, and institutional supply, tilting fiscal investment and allocation toward rural grassroots areas, impoverished areas, and border areas, improving public policies for urban and rural public services and social security, and achieving breakthrough progress in breaking the urban-rural dual structure.
Expanding agricultural functions and channels for increasing farmers' incomes through integration
Rural industrial integration plays an important role in resolving difficult problems in rural development, prospering the rural economy, and promoting increases in farmers' incomes. Attending experts believed that in promoting the integrated development of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in rural areas, "characteristics" and "highlights" are key, and developing the multiple functions and value of agriculture is the core.
Attending experts proposed that agricultural industrial integration should shape a new type of horizontal structure, lengthen the industrial chain, improve the quality of factors and allocation efficiency, innovate agricultural business concepts, and form new momentum for agricultural development. It is necessary to share with farmers the dividends brought by the integration of the three industries, attract modern factors to transform traditional agriculture, expand agricultural functions, and cultivate new growth points in rural areas. For example, adhere to the strategy of adapting measures to local conditions, regional advantages, cultivating the agricultural product processing industry as a related industry, and supporting the development of the leisure tourism industry.
Pursuing international layout and global food security through openness
Under the new situation, the openness and sharing characteristics of modern agriculture are prominent. Some experts proposed deeply studying the issue of utilizing two types of resources, two markets, and two types of rules under the background of economic globalization, and believed that China's agriculture should actively lay out international agricultural industrial chains. At present, the conditions for China's agriculture to achieve a global layout are basically mature, and the historical opportunity is rare. In agriculture "going global," enterprises should step to the forefront, and the layout should shift from the production segment to the entire industrial chain.
Other experts proposed examining China's food security strategy from the perspective of global food security, paying close attention to the characteristics and trends of international food security, strengthening comprehensive analysis and assessment of global grain conditions, and enhancing China's participation and discourse power in international food security. At present, it is necessary to establish a common governance system for global food security and regard it as an important part of the global economic governance system.
Leading characteristic towns and integrated urban-rural development through industry
To resolve the current problems of incoordination and imbalance in urban and rural development, it is necessary to follow the path of new urbanization. Some experts believed that it is necessary to formulate more inclusive and sharing-oriented policies for integrated urban-rural development, balance urban and rural resource allocation, and enable rural residents and relocated populations to share the fruits of modernization and urban development.
"Realizing integrated urban-rural development" provides a rare opportunity for the cause of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" under the new normal of economic development and during China's important period of economic and social transformation. Some experts proposed that the construction of characteristic towns is an important lever for advancing urban-rural integration and an important measure for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In the construction of characteristic towns, it is necessary to properly handle the relationship between industry and the town, the relationship between characteristics and inherent character, the relationship between government and market, and the relationship between the "local" and the "foreign." The construction of characteristic towns should be made into an important breakthrough in China's new urbanization.
In addition, this year's annual conference also conducted extensive and in-depth discussions on issues such as land transfer and rural financial supply. More than 380 experts and scholars attended the conference, including Vice Minister of Agriculture Chen Xiaohua, Vice Chairman of the Economic Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chen Xiwen, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Social and Legal Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the China Well-off Society Construction Research Association Wang Julu, President of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation Duan Yingbi, Chairman of the National Food and Nutrition Commission Wan Baorui, and former Vice Director of the Council of the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives Li Chunsheng. The annual conference was presided over by Yin Chengjie, President of the Chinese Association of Agricultural Economics.