By Han Yang, Research Team on the Development of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, DRC

Research Report, No. 33, 2020 (Total 5777) 2020-3-12

Abstract: State-owned farms and pastures in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have, over the years and especially on some major occasions, made notable contributions to ensuring national food security, advancing the development of agriculture and husbandry and maintaining stability in the border areas. In recent years, the Central Government and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government have increased their support for the reform and development of these local state-owned farms and pastures. To enhance the endogenous driving force, development vitality and overall strength of local state-owned farms and pastures in Xinjiang and better serve the national strategy of stabilizing, consolidating and rejuvenating Xinjiang requires both continued efforts pooled by Xinjiang itself and increased support based on national strategy. It is advisable to further consolidate the achievements made in the past reform. To be concrete, the social management and public services undertaken by state-owned farms will be incorporated into the unified management of local government, and the task of confirming, registering and issuing the right to use state-owned land on agricultural reclamation will be basically completed. We need to actively yet prudently promote the grouping of reclamation areas and the running of farms as enterprises, increase financial support for Xinjiang state-owned farms and pastures to relieve their obligations to operate social programs, and entrust some villages and towns to look after these social programs. The land management mode and mechanism need to be innovated in a bid to enhance the scale management capacity. In addition, efforts need to be made to expand the policy coverage and increase support for local state-owned farms and pastures in Xinjiang, and focus on strengthening weak links in areas related to people’s livelihood.

Key words: local reclamation reform, social programs, land, people’s livelihood, Xinjiang