Unleash farmers' potential to better address rural-urban gap

A rural revitalization plan recently introduced by the central authorities shows China's firm determination to hasten rural development. According to the plan, modernization of agriculture and rural areas will reach a new level by 2027, and rural areas will be equipped with basic conditions for modern living by 2035.

Since being put forward in 2017, the rural revitalization strategy has become an overarching aspect of the country's work for agriculture, rural areas and farmers. Considering China has a large population and imbalances between its urban and rural development, it is important that the country pursue urban-rural integrated development. The plan makes arrangements for optimizing the pattern of urban and rural development and promoting the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, promoting the equal exchange and two-way flow of factors between urban and rural areas, narrowing the urban-rural gap, and promoting the common development of urban and rural areas.

Given that China has a population of more than 1.4 billion people, "ensuring national food security" and "consolidating the foundation of food security in an all-round way" have been written into the plan. To increase support for grain production, the country will improve the interests of compensation mechanism for major grain-producing areas, and coordinate the establishment of cross-provincial interest compensation mechanisms for grain-producing and marketing areas. These measures will motivate major grain-producing areas to focus on agriculture and grain production, and help China build a food security pattern with shared responsibilities.

A good way to gauge the effectiveness of rural work is to see whether farmers' incomes are increasing. Given that there still exists an income gap between urban and rural areas, to revitalize rural development the country needs to keep the income growth rate of rural residents higher than that of urban residents. That highlights the need to do everything to broaden the channels for farmers as well people in low-income groups to raise their income. Toward this end, the plan outlines a series of ways to increase farmers' incomes based on distinctive local conditions, from developing characteristic industries to promoting new forms of business through innovations, from strengthening employment services to making better use of rural resources and assets. Deepening rural reform to activate rural resources and unleash farmers' creativity is necessary for rural revitalization.

- Wu Yixue, China Daily