Focus on farmers' well-being

Future counts on modern farming

We're used to equal development of the rural regions when it comes to constructing new roads, water and electricity facilities. From now on, the emphasis will be shifted to satisfying people's needs, such as caring for the vulnerable groups that remain in villages, providing better social services to them, and helping rural residents preserve the traditional culture to which they are accustomed.

Cheng Guoqiang, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, Xinhua News Agency, Dec 24

The modernization of agriculture cannot be accomplished by rural areas alone. Urban regions that have benefited from the past decades of development should lend a helping hand to their rural counterparts, this in turn requires the government to coordinate and invest more public resources in improving public services to farmers.

Xu Hongcai, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, chinanews.com, Dec 24

The farming population is potentially a big consumer group. However, low incomes and insufficient social security have restricted their consumption in the past, which is an essential reason why China's economy remains investment-driven. With the incomes of farmers raised, the long-expected transformation of the economic structure will hopefully be realized.

Jiang Wenlai, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, cpcnews.cn, Dec 24

A good harvest does not necessarily ensure better income for farmers. In the past there have been reports of farmers giving up growing crops because the profits were too low. A situation that did not change until the State introduced policies to subsidize grain-growing farmers. More favorable policies are needed to further encourage farmers to grow grains to ensure grain security for the nation.

people.com.cn, Dec 7

China's overall grain production has been increasing for 10 successive years, this is good news, but problems such as the over-consumption of resources, high pressure upon the ecological environment, and low returns of the agricultural sector have also emerged, thus raising doubts about its sustainability. There is a compelling need to accelerate the modernization of agriculture.

Zhang Xiaoshan, a researcher on rural development at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Guangming Daily, Dec 24