New tech, govt support key for food security, well-being of farmers

The development and application of new science and technology in agriculture are expected to play the leading role in consolidating China’s food security while the government, with the help of social forces, will further promote and better boost rural social security network, said agricultural experts.

“Innovation based on modern agricultural technologies and talents is the key solution to realize China’s food security strategy,” said Wang Xiudong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), commenting on the rural and farmer-related work, a focus area of deepening reforms on the agenda of the CPC plenum currently underway.

“China has made significant progress in food security considering the limited arable land, water resources and its 1.4 billion people,” according to Wang, who is also the director of the Agricultural Strategy Research Office with the academy.

The adoption of the Guidelines on Establishing a Sound Mechanism for Ensuring Benefits of Grain-Growers and a Compensation Mechanism for Major Grain-Producing Areas at a meeting of the Central Commission for Deepening Overall Reform (CCDOR) shows the continuing efforts of the top leadership in addressing the issue, which Wang said will continue to be a focus of the upcoming reform measures.

Government subsidies should be the key sources of the farmers’ income, and various insurances ought to be involved more extensively to guarantee the benefits to the farmers and inspire their enthusiasm for food production,” Wang suggested.

In the process of comprehensively promoting the rural vitalization initiative, the improvement of the social security system for the millions of farmers has been given more support.

“China has established the world's largest social security system with more than 1.3 billion people covered by basic medical insurance, and more than 1 billion people covered by basic pension insurance,” said Yang Sui, associate researcher with the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. 

China is now striving to safeguard the achievements of anti-poverty drive in the countryside and strengthen the network of rural social security at the same time.

By 2025, Yang continued, "an institution will be established in each county to meet the needs of the elderly who are unable to take care of themselves, such as meal assistance, medical care, learning and entertainment."

“Our Party and government will uphold the people-centered principle to continuously enhance the well-being of the rural elderly,” the associate researcher said.

Yang also suggests that apart from the governments playing the leading role, the financial funds, collective groups, social donors and individuals are all encouraged to contribute to the enhancement of the rural social security system.