Tech advance to boost agriculture

China has put a strategic focus on developing new quality productive forces in agriculture, signaling a shift toward tailored and technology-driven agricultural growth, experts said.

Since the concept of new quality productive forces gained prominence last year, multiple high-level meetings and documents have further underscored the vision and included it in the core tasks for the coming year.

For agriculture, this entails strengthening collaborative innovation, accelerating the large-scale application of scientific breakthroughs, and tailoring development strategies to local conditions, according to the Central Rural Work Conference held recently in Beijing.

Liu Li, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said China is expected to comprehensively upgrade its innovation in agricultural technology, highlighted by improving technological equipment, incubating leading enterprises, accelerating innovation in the seed industry, and developing smart agriculture.

Basic research in strengthening agricultural technology should be supported, particularly in the foundational research of seeds and agricultural equipment, Liu told China Daily.

Meanwhile, agriculture-related scientific and technological efforts should not rely solely on individual research institutions or enterprises, Liu said.

Stakeholders in industry, as well as academia and research institutions, are expected to collaborate to align research and development with market demands, creating an integrated innovation network, she added.

"Currently, a mismatch remains between scientific innovations and market demand. Some achievements have stayed at the laboratory level and haven't met the actual needs of the industry," Liu said, adding that frontier research also needs to consider the economic applicability of scientific results.

Liu called for expanding financial support in key agricultural technologies, carbon sequestration innovations, and national agricultural science parks.

While China has made significant strides in agricultural research and development, including a 63 percent rate of applying scientific advancements to agricultural productivity, the practical adoption of these technologies often faces barriers arising from regional constraints, farmers' level of awareness and distribution channels.

Hu Bingchuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Rural Development Institute, emphasized that scientific achievements should be applied more rapidly, which "reflects a need to transit innovations from laboratories to fields".

Accelerating technology promotion will ensure that experimental breakthroughs translate into higher productivity on a national scale, Hu said.

Moreover, China's vast and diverse landscape necessitates a localized approach to developing new quality productive forces in agriculture, he said.

Tailoring strategies to regional strengths, such as water-saving agriculture, smart farming or specific crop technologies, ensures that each area leverages its unique resources and conditions, Hu added.

"Enhancing agricultural technology and productivity is key to improving farmer incomes, ultimately driving rural vitalization," he added.

Jin Shuqin, deputy head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' rural economy research center, also said that adapting to local conditions is a crucial principle in developing the strategy.

"It requires each region to leverage its unique advantages while aligning with national goals," Jin wrote in a commentary article.

For instance, areas with strong agricultural technology bases like Shanghai and Zhejiang province are encouraged to focus on innovation and share technological advancements with regions in Northeast and Central China, where agricultural output is high yet technological resources are limited, Jin said.

Meanwhile, he noted that green and sustainable practices are central to new quality productive forces in agriculture.

Developing green, low-carbon agricultural technology is fundamental to ensuring sustainable growth, Jin said, adding that advanced equipment and green technologies should be integrated into every stage of agricultural production to balance productivity with sustainability, he said.

This year, substantial progress has been made in tackling core technologies in agriculture, the ministry said earlier this month. For example, a number of superior genes have been identified in seed research, and an ultra-small gene editor with independent intellectual property rights has successfully been developed.

Furthermore, domestic versions of large grain combine harvesters and six-row cotton pickers are now in use, and independently developed seeders and seeding equipment suitable for hilly and mountainous areas are gradually being promoted, it added.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn