The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have issued the "Plan for Accelerating the Building of a Strong Agricultural Country (2024-2035)."

I. Background: From “Large but Not Strong” to Strategic Breakthrough

As the world’s largest producer and consumer of agricultural products, China’s agriculture has long exhibited... The characteristic of being “large but not strong.” Although China ranks among the world’s top in terms of grain production and the size of its agricultural population, it still has significant shortcomings in areas such as the level of agricultural technology equipment, the resilience of its industrial chains, and international competitiveness. Currently, with intensifying global climate change, frequent geopolitical conflicts, and an accelerating agricultural technological revolution, Chinese agriculture faces multiple challenges, including tightening resource constraints, rising production costs, and intensifying international competition. Against this backdrop, the issuance of the “Plan” is not only a key measure for implementing the strategic deployment of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to “speed up the building of a strong agricultural country,” but also an inevitable choice for responding to global agricultural transformations, consolidating the foundation of national food security, and promoting the modernization of rural areas and common prosperity.

II. Core Content: Phased Advancement and Multi-dimensional Breakthroughs

1. The “Three-Step” Strategic Goal

The “Plan” clearly outlines a phased approach to building an agricultural power:

1

2027: Significant progress has been made in building an agricultural powerhouse, and rural revitalization is being comprehensively advanced.

2

2035: Agricultural modernization will be basically achieved, and rural living conditions will reach a modern standard.

3

By mid-century: We will have fully built a strong agricultural country, and the modernization of agriculture and rural areas will be comprehensively concluded.

This goal system is closely aligned with the nation’s modernization process and reflects a coordinated approach that balances short-term攻坚 efforts with long-term strategic planning.

2. Key Tasks and Innovation Directions  

Driven by scientific and technological innovation: Strengthen the revitalization of the seed industry, R&D of smart agricultural machinery, and application of agricultural big data, with the goal of... By 2035, the proportion of independently bred varieties of major crops will exceed 95%, and the rate of informationization in agricultural production will significantly increase.

Green and Low-Carbon Transition: Promote crop rotation and fallowing of cultivated land, control agricultural non-point source pollution, establish ecological compensation mechanisms, and build... An integrated protection system for “mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands, and sand,” with strengthened measures such as the Yangtze River fishing ban and water conservation in the Yellow River basin.

Industrial integration and upgrading: Promote the development of emerging business models such as smart agriculture and bio-agriculture, foster deep integration between agriculture and information technology as well as advanced manufacturing, and explore cutting-edge fields like cell factories and cultivated foods.  

Coordinated Development of Urban and Rural Areas: Achieved through integrated county-level economic planning and interconnected infrastructure. Driven by the dual engines of “agricultural modernization” and “rural modernization,” we will build beautiful countryside that are both livable and conducive to thriving businesses.

3. Differentiated Regional Development Path  

The plan emphasizes adapting to local conditions, supporting the eastern region in developing smart agriculture and advanced processing, and enabling the central and western regions—leveraging their resource endowments—to build specialized agricultural clusters. A classification policy system for “major grain-producing areas, ecological function zones, and areas with distinctive advantages.”

III. The Profound Changes That May Emerge in Agriculture and Rural Areas

1. Intelligent agricultural production methods  

Increased intelligence rate of agricultural machinery and equipment (current overall mechanization rate) (75%), the widespread adoption of agricultural IoT (with a rural internet penetration rate of 66.5% in 2023), and precision agriculture will significantly boost total factor productivity. For example, artificial intelligence will be used for monitoring soil moisture levels and providing early warnings for pests and diseases, while Beidou navigation technology will promote the large-scale application of unmanned agricultural machinery.

2. Restructuring the agricultural industry chain and value chain   

Shifting from traditional farming to a full-industry-chain approach, the share of cold-chain logistics, agricultural product processing, and agricultural service industries is increasing. The plan proposes fostering internationally-oriented agribusiness enterprises, encouraging the establishment of overseas production bases, promoting participation in the formulation of international standards, and driving Chinese agriculture to integrate into the high-end segments of the global value chain.

3. Rural Governance and a Leap in Quality of Life  

The improvement of rural living environments (such as the toilet revolution and wastewater treatment) and the enhancement of public services (including education and healthcare) will accelerate. Urban-rural integration policies will help boost farmers’ incomes, and it is expected that... By 2035, basic modern living conditions in rural areas will be largely achieved.

IV. Hidden Strategic Opportunities and Challenges

1. Opportunity Dimension

Technological and Industrial Opportunities: Fields such as smart agricultural equipment, agricultural biotechnology, and digital agriculture platforms will give rise to trillion-dollar markets.  

Green Economy Opportunities: Ecological restoration, carbon sink trading, and the application of circular agriculture technologies hold great potential.  

Regional Development Opportunities: The specialty agricultural regions in central and western China could become investment hotspots. New business models such as “agriculture + cultural tourism” and “agriculture + health and wellness” hold tremendous potential.

2. Challenges and Responses

Bottleneck in technology transfer: The insufficient investment in scientific research needs to be addressed. In 2022, the rate of agricultural production informatization was only 27.6%, and smallholder farmers face difficulties in connecting with technology applications.

International competitive pressures: We need to break through the dilemma of high agricultural production costs and low brand premiums, and enhance our self-sufficiency in key commodities such as soybeans and corn.  

Resource and environmental constraints: Protecting arable land and improving water resource utilization efficiency remain long-term challenges.

V. Conclusion

The “Plan” is not merely a program of action; rather, it marks a historic leap for China’s agriculture—from scaling up to enhancing quality and efficiency, from factor-driven development to innovation-driven growth, and from inward-oriented development to global competitiveness. Its implementation will profoundly reshape agricultural productivity and production relations, providing the core impetus for rural revitalization and common prosperity, while also contributing a Chinese solution to the global cause of sustainable agricultural development. Over the next decade, the combined effects of policy dividends, technological revolutions, and market demand are likely to give rise to a new wave of agricultural technology enterprises. "Unicorns" and world-class agricultural enterprises are ushering in a golden age for China's agriculture.