Great Transformation of China's Rural Three Sectors

Author: Liu Mingguo / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Shining Highlights Show Changes
The 11th Five-Year Plan was an extraordinary period for "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (the "Three Rural Issues"). Not only did the long-standing accumulated contradictions and issues come to the forefront, but a series of new severe challenges also emerged. Against the backdrop of unfavorable conditions such as the impact of China's entry into the WTO, the successive outbreaks of the SARS and avian flu epidemics, and frequent natural disasters, the past five years saw remarkable achievements in "Three Rural Issues" work, especially in agricultural and rural economic development becoming a highlight of the entire national macro-control. This was truly hard-won and commendable.
Reviewing the 11th Five-Year Plan, the highlights of "Three Rural Issues" work shone brightly, and a series of profound changes stood tall like historical monuments.
Change No. 1: More Systematic and Scientific Theories Guiding "Three Rural Issues" Work
Since the beginning of the new century, the Party Central Committee and the State Council have continuously strengthened work on "Three Rural Issues," formulating a series of policies and measures to support agriculture. They proposed the principle of "more support, less burden, and greater vitality," the strategy of coordinated urban-rural development, the scientific concept of development that is people-centered, comprehensive, harmonious, and sustainable, the requirement to make solving "Three Rural Issues" the top priority of the entire Party, the important conclusion about the "two trends," the work principle of industrial support for agriculture and urban support for rural areas, the central task of ensuring stable grain production and continuous income growth for farmers, and the development orientation of a new socialist countryside. These major theoretical innovations have enriched and elevated the thinking and policies on "Three Rural Issues," forming a preliminary ideological system to guide work on "Three Rural Issues" in the new era.
Great causes require great theories to guide them. A series of breakthroughs and innovations in the theories of "Three Rural Issues" work have enabled the entire Party and society to move beyond the traditional limitations of discussing agriculture in isolation from agriculture, rural areas in isolation from rural areas, and farmers in isolation from farmers. The issue of "Three Rural Issues" has been further placed at the forefront of the overall socio-economic development and given priority, with more attention paid to rural areas, farmers, and agriculture in terms of both thought and action. The issue of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers has been brought to an unprecedented height, laying a solid ideological and theoretical foundation for creating a new situation in agricultural and rural work.
Change No. 2: More Efficient and Rational Distribution of Rural Productive Forces
The central task proposed by the Central Committee for agricultural and rural economy entering a new stage is the strategic adjustment of the structure of agriculture and the rural economy. Since the 11th Five-Year Plan, all regions have adhered to the principles of "market orientation, relying on technological progress and innovation, stabilizing and improving comprehensive grain production capacity, leveraging regional comparative advantages, and respecting farmers' wishes," actively adapting to new conditions, optimizing the allocation of production factors, transforming agricultural growth models, and tapping into the potential of agricultural and rural economic development in depth and breadth to continuously improve the overall quality and efficiency of agricultural and rural economies. Through the strategic adjustment of the structure of agricultural and rural economies, the distribution of rural productive forces has become more efficient and rational. The main achievements are reflected in six aspects.
First, the construction of comprehensive agricultural production capacity has been strengthened. The state has implemented key projects such as the High-Quality Grain Industry Project and the Rural "Six Small Projects" to improve agricultural production conditions and enhance the level of rural productive forces.
Second, the structure of agricultural product varieties and quality has been greatly optimized. Main agricultural products have gradually concentrated in regions. Since 2003, the "Regional Layout Plan for Advantageous Agricultural Products" has been implemented, identifying 13 main agricultural products, selecting superior varieties in more than 40 suitable regions, adopting advanced breeding and cultivation models, and implementing a series of support measures to cultivate a number of internationally renowned brands and build a number of world-renowned advantageous industrial belts. This plan has begun to show results, with main agricultural products gradually concentrating in advantageous regions. For example, the rice industry belt accounts for 86% of the country's rice area, the cotton industry belt covers 99% of the country's planting area and total output, and the proportion of high-quality agricultural products has significantly increased, with improved conditions for agricultural product quality and safety.
Third, animal husbandry has grown into a major industry. In 2005, the output value of animal husbandry is expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan, accounting for 33.6% of the total agricultural output value, making up one-third of the agricultural sector. Livestock income has become an important pillar of farmers' income. Experience in preventing and controlling major animal epidemics has increased, emergency response capabilities have strengthened, the system has been further streamlined, and breakthroughs have been made in vaccine research and development.
Fourth, the level of agricultural mechanization has significantly improved. In 2004, the area under mechanical plowing accounted for 47% of cultivated land, the area under mechanical sowing accounted for 27%, and the area under mechanical harvesting accounted for 20%.
Fifth, agricultural industrialization has made new progress. Currently, there are 114,000 industrialization operations nationwide, with various industrialization organizations supporting 84.54 million households, averaging an additional income of 1,200 yuan per household per year.
Sixth, non-agricultural employment for farmers has continued to increase, with migrant labor becoming a new channel for farmers to increase income. As of the end of June 2005, the number of farmers working outside their hometowns had reached 108 million, accounting for 21.7% of the rural labor force, an increase of 5.23 million from the end of the previous year. Migrant workers have become an important part of industrial workers. In the secondary industry, migrant workers account for 57.6% of employed personnel, and in the tertiary industry, they account for 52%.
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