CGTN: China Advances Agricultural Modernisation To Boost Rural Prosperity

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- China is strengthening agricultural modernisation and rural revitalisation efforts to ensure the benefits of development reach farmers, according to an article published by China Global Television Network (CGTN).

The article follows Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent inspection tour in Dezhou, Shandong Province, where he stressed the importance of agricultural and rural modernisation to the country's broader modernisation drive and called for concrete measures to strengthen the sector.

Xi said ensuring a stable supply of grain and other important agricultural products remains the top priority of agricultural production.

His remarks carry particular significance in Dezhou, a city often described as one of China's key grain baskets. Although it occupies just over 10,000 square kilometres, Dezhou contributes more than one kilogramme out of every 100 kilogrammes of grain produced nationwide.

In recent years, Dezhou has become a testing ground for boosting agricultural productivity through the "Dunbanliang" initiative, launched in 2021 to advance national food security and aimed at producing more than 1.5 metric tonnes of grain per Chinese mu.

The gains have been driven by high-standard farmland, upgraded irrigation systems, improved seed varieties and integrated water-and-fertiliser technologies. By 2025, farmland meeting the "Dunbanliang" benchmark had expanded to 1.58 million mu in Dezhou.

According to CGTN, the effort is part of a broader national push, with over 90 per cent of China's summer grain harvest completed this year and another bumper harvest largely secured.

CGTN in a statement noted that for many farmers, challenges begin after the harvest, as limited drying space, storage losses and fluctuating market prices can reduce earnings.

In Wucheng County, also in Dezhou, local authorities have introduced a "grain bank" model to address these concerns. Farmers can store grain, have it professionally dried and choose when to sell, helping reduce losses and improve returns.

CGTN said the initiative reflects a broader vision behind China's drive for agricultural and rural modernisation, aimed not only at boosting agricultural output but also advancing rural revitalisation and ensuring farmers benefit from the fruits of modernisation.

Xi stressed that the ultimate goal of modernisation is to meet people's aspirations for a better life, adding that the true success of a bumper harvest lies not only in the grain produced but also in the prosperity and opportunities it brings to farming communities.

-- BERNAMA