context: As the deadline approaches on a state goal to eliminate poverty by 2020, poverty alleviation tops the rural policy agenda. Ag-related goals are increasingly on the sidelines as the rural revitalisation strategy, first clearly outlined at last year's CRWC, shifts focus to rural infrastructure, housing, and non-farm employment. Policymakers devoted little time to staple crop output or food security, instead supporting the ongoing shift toward livestock feed and cash crops, and calling to accelerate rural land reforms.
The 2018 Central Rural Work Conference (CRWC) was held in Beijing on 29–30 December 2018, chaired by Xiao Jie 肖捷 State Council secretary general and attended by Xi Jinping 习近平 president and Li Keqiang 李克强 premier. The meeting highlighted 2019 rural policy priorities, aimed at winning the battle against poverty and building a moderately prosperous society by 2020.
Plans discussed at the meeting include
- focusing anti-poverty efforts in key areas within Tibet, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Sichuan and Gansu
- substantially improving rural living environments
- ensuring food security by stabilising production area and optimising planting structure
- cracking down on farmland misuse
- strengthening African swine fever (ASF) prevention and control
- developing rural non-farming sector
- deepening rural land reform
- improving rural infrastructure
- strengthening rural grassroots party-building
- improving rural social morality
- upgrading rural governance systems based on principles of self-governance, rule by law and 'rule by virtue'
Xinhua reports that the December 2017 CRWC called for rural areas to be prioritised during four government processes, namely assignment of cadres, allocation of resources, investment of public funds, and provision of public services. The 2018 meeting has again raised these 'four priorities', notes the coverage. Cheng Guoqiang 程国强 Tongji University School of Economics and Management professor says delivering on rural development goals will require these 'four priorities' to be implemented. He argues these priorities are reflected in the set-up of state supported rural credit and investment guarantee mechanisms, which will play a key role in attracting private capital investments into the rural sector.
Ye Xingqing 叶兴庆 State Council Agricultural Economy Development Research Centre director general notes this year's priorities have been defined as hard requirements by the state, specifically because progress in these areas are lagging. More effort is needed if 2020 anti-poverty goals are to be met, as rural living environment and infrastructure upgrading closely correlates with farmers' welfare, happiness and economic development in the longer term.
Liu Heguang 刘合光 Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) researcher says better incentive and supervision mechanisms are needed, along with clear instructions to local officials expected to deliver on rural development and anti-poverty agendas. Capable teams should be sent to struggling areas, and 'rational' allocation of funds to complete work is also needed, he argues. Rural production capacity is currently constrained, he argues, and should be liberated through the reform process.
Zhu Xinkai 朱信凯 Renmin University vice president says agriculture should not be viewed as a backward industry, as it has technology, economic forces, and national security at its core—a versatile industry that supports rural development and social progress. Rural areas, he says, should not be associated with poverty but with natural and pastoral beauty.