A driverless farm machine harvests corn in northeast China's Changchun city. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

To advance Chinese modernization, China must spare no effort to strengthen the foundation of the agricultural sector and advance rural revitalization across the board. That's the message conveyed at the annual Central Rural Work Conference held in Beijing from December 19 to 20, which outlined priorities of rural work in 2024.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made important instructions on work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

Xi said that despite facing some challenges in 2023 such as severe natural disasters, the country witnessed a historic high in grain production and a relatively rapid growth in farmers' income, and maintained stability and harmony in rural society.

He stressed the importance of safeguarding food security by stabilizing the land acreage for grain production and increasing the yields per unit, along with the necessity to establish a diversified food supply system and construct high-standard farmland.

To inject momentum and vitality into agricultural modernization, it is important to strengthen the driving forces of science and technology as well as reform, intensify efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies, and improve work mechanism for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, said Xi.

He also highlighted the imperative of enhancing agricultural disaster prevention, reduction and relief capabilities, and called for ongoing efforts to avoid a resurgence of large-scale poverty.

To better do work related to rural development in the next year, the conference underscored the need to apply the development philosophies, work procedures and promotion mechanisms drawn from the Green Rural Revival Program, focus on issues that farmers are strongly concerned about, and pinpoint key areas for advancing rural revitalization.

It should remain a priority to stabilize the production of grain and other vital agricultural produces, and ensure a grain output of over 650 billion kilograms in 2024, said the conference.

Efforts should also be made to support the establishment of agricultural sci-tech innovation platforms and expedite the revitalization of the seed industry.

In addition, the call was made to develop rural factories and perfect mechanisms to connect and support farmers to increase their incomes, improve rural living environment, shore up weak links in rural infrastructure, and promote integrated development of urbanization and rural revitalization.