Section IV: Actively Promote Modern Agriculture

To push forward building a new socialist countryside in an earnest way, we must equip agriculture with modern equipments, transform it with modern science and technologies and enhance it with modern industrial system. More specifically, we need to improve output, quality and food security of agricultural products and increase competitiveness of agriculture industry. We will strengthen the role of Northeast China as a state strategic commercial grain base, promote stable growth of agriculture and increase farmers' income.

    4.1 Strengthen the construction of agricultural production base

Inputs must be enhanced to raise land productivity, resources utilization efficiency and labor productivity. We must strive to improve overall quality, efficiency and competitiveness of agriculture, establish more specialized agricultural bases with their own distinction, and develop green agriculture. Efforts will be strengthened in the following areas:

First, construction of commercial grain bases will be reinforced. Priorities will be areas in Songnen and Songliao Plains where corn for special use and high-yield, oil and protein-rich soybean grow, Sanjiang Plain where quality rice grows. More investment must be channeled to build irrigation and drainage facilities, cultivate improved strain and purchase agricultural machinery. Regional agricultural cluster for large scale specialized production of agriculture and animal husbandry must be encouraged. We must accomplish construction of modern state commercial grain bases, ensuring stable output of grain and commercial grain supply.

Secondly, top quality animal husbandry industry and relevant bases will be established. Specifically, industrial belt of meat, egg and milk production and processing shall be a priority in development, with central plain in Northeast China as a major focus. Other priorities are to establish cow and sheep bases in the west part of Northeast China where farming and pastoral zone staggered, to establish large modern milking cow raising zones and cow and sheep raising zones by taking advantages on Songnen Plain along Binzhou, meadow steppe in eastern Inner Mongolia, and other high-quality artificial pastures and fodder bases.

Thirdly, production bases of green agricultural products will be built. Green food industry will be strengthened by building farm produce bases where high-yield, high-quality, safe, efficient and ecological-friendly products grow. In addition, a number of high-standard agricultural bases and bases for farm produce export are to be built. We must provide active support to the production of edible mushroom and ginseng, and other well-known distinctive forestry products. We must build green fruit product bases around eastern Liaoning Peninsula and hilly regions in western Liaoning province. Aquatic products farming and intensive processing bases along coastal areas must be built.

    4.2 Improve basic conditions for agricultural development

We must improve the quality of cultivated land, enhance comprehensive agricultural productivity and apply advanced agricultural science and technologies so as to build pillars for modern agricultural development. Efforts will be made as follows:

First, we will strengthen the comprehensive agricultural productivity with focus on transforming farmlands with low or middle yield. We must bring water under control and improve the soil, promote water-saving irrigation, and transform farmlands with low or middle yield. Traditional farming patterns must be improved and we must develop resource-efficient agriculture with standardized management, and equipped with modern facilities. Large agricultural production bases to produce top quality farm produce in large scale and professional way must be established. Agricultural production conditions and capability to resist natural disasters must be improved. We must increase inputs in comprehensive treatment and transformation of low or middle yield lands, cultivate improved strains and relevant technologies. We must raise the grade of cultivated land, build high-standard basic farmlands with stable and high yields at around 500 kg/Mu (1Mu equals to about 1/15 hectare) and resistant to drought or waterlogging. We must seek funds from diverse channels so as to transform 4 million hectares of low-yielding or middle-yielding lands from 2006-2010.

Secondly, we will improve supporting system for agriculture. Agricultural service system must be accelerated and we must promote agriculture with standardized management and wide use of information technology. Agricultural market system must be completed and agricultural science parks and demonstration zones must be established. We will enhance efforts in developing innovation system for agro-science and technologies, develop and disseminate new strains and popularize advanced and useful technologies. Rural economic cooperative organizations must be set up to improve coordination mechanisms between leading enterprises and rural households, explore new model for development combining agriculture, industry and commerce. We must introduce mechanisms to ensure stable growth of agricultural aiding funds, and increase transfer payment to major grain producing areas.