Smart agri tech to spur rural modernization

Officials and experts have commended China's mission to enhance efforts to modernize agriculture and advance rural vitalization during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), adding that the move is critical to the country's overall modernization and food security amid global uncertainties.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun said agricultural and rural modernization will remain a strategic priority as China seeks to bolster domestic development and respond to external risks.

"Modernizing agriculture and rural areas is integral to the overall success and quality of China's path to modernization," Han said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency ahead of the annual Central Rural Work Conference taking place in Beijing.

Han described rural modernization as a "ballast stone" for economic and social stability, saying it supports the establishment of a new development paradigm by narrowing the urban-rural gap and ensuring farmers share in the benefits of modernization.

"By 2035, hundreds of millions of farmers are expected to step into modern life, unleashing enormous momentum for development and consumption," he said.

China enters the next five-year planning period on a solid foundation, marked by steady growth in grain and major agricultural product output. Grain production reached a record 715 million metric tons this year, with science and technology contributing over 64 percent toward overall agricultural growth.

However, challenges remain as rural development lags behind and sustaining income growth for farmers is difficult, Han said, calling for continued focus on agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

China will launch a new round of measures to raise grain production capacity by 50 million tons, accelerate the construction of high-standard farmland, advance the seed industry and promote smart agricultural machinery. It will also develop a more diversified food supply system and expand agricultural processing to boost farmers' incomes.

Sun Qixin, president of China Agricultural University, said developing new quality productive forces in agriculture in ways suited to local conditions is key to overcoming development bottlenecks and promoting high-quality growth.

"Efforts should be grounded in China's diverse resource endowments and uneven agricultural development, focusing on fostering new drivers of productivity," Sun said.

Biotechnology is expected to serve as a core engine for developing new quality productive forces in agriculture. Sun said breakthroughs in gene editing and synthetic biology are likely to reshape production models and upgrade agricultural industries.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China's scientific and technological innovation in the seed industry has entered the world's top tier. This year, researchers identified a number of new genes with major application value that regulate crop yield and quality.

A new generation of improved varieties has been bred, including high-yield rice, water-saving and disease-resistant wheat, high-density and machine-friendly maize, and high-oil soybeans, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the integration of big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence into farming is transforming traditional practices, making smart agriculture a key driver of new quality productive forces, Sun said.

"From drones to intelligent farming robots, next-generation agricultural machinery is accelerating the shift toward automated and data-driven production," he said.

This year, China selected its first quality inspection and testing center for smart agriculture technologies and equipment under the ministry, filling a gap in the country's smart agriculture testing system.

The talent pool for smart agriculture continues to expand. Training programs to improve farmers' mobile usage and e-commerce skills drew nearly 40 million participants during the year, according to the ministry.

Preventing a return to poverty will also be a key priority during the next five years, Han said. China will continue supportive policies and integrate regular assistance into future rural vitalization efforts.

A dynamic monitoring and assistance system seeks to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty. Measures such as east-west cooperation and targeted assistance for key counties will continue, he said.

Han added that China will promote deeper integration of rural industries and foster distinctive local product chains to support stable income growth for farmers.

According to the ministry, all 832 counties previously lifted out of poverty have each developed two to three leading industries with competitive strengths.

Employment among the formerly impoverished population stabilized at more than 30 million people, accounting for over two-thirds of household income for these families.

In the first three quarters of this year, rural residents in formerly impoverished counties recorded per capita disposable income of 13,158 yuan ($1,872), up 6.5 percent year-on-year and 0.5 percentage point faster than the national rural average.