The State Council adopts the national long-term plan for food security

On the 2nd, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council presided over the executive meeting of the State Council to discuss and pass in principle the "Medium- and Long-term Plan for National Food Security" and the "Overall Plan for Capacity Building of Jilin Province to Increase Production by Ten Billion Kiloliters of Commodities."
The meeting pointed out that the overall situation of food security related to the development of the national economy and social stability, the party Central Committee and the State Council have always attached great importance to this work in a prominent position. At present, the overall situation of China's food security is good, the comprehensive production capacity of grain is steadily increasing, food supplies are increasingly abundant, and supply and demand are basically balanced. However, with the development of industrialization and urbanization, the increase in population and the improvement of people’s living standards, the demand for food consumption has grown rigidly; constraints on arable land, shortage of water resources, and climate change have become increasingly prominent for food production, and China’s grain supply and demand will remain tight for a long time. The state of balance ensures that all food is facing severe challenges.
The meeting stressed that we must base ourselves on the basic guarantee of domestic supply, increase support for policies and inputs, rely on scientific and technological advancement, increase comprehensive grain production capacity, and accelerate the establishment of a food security system that meets the requirements of the development of the socialist market economy and conforms to China's national conditions. Through the implementation of the National Medium and Long-Term Plan for Food Security, the self-sufficiency ratio of grain will be stabilized at more than 95%. In 2010, the comprehensive grain production capacity will be stable at more than 1 trillion kg, and by 2020, it will reach 1,080 billion kg or more. To achieve this goal, we must make great determination and make big moves: (1) We must adhere to the long-term stability of the household contract responsibility system and promote the innovation of the institutional mechanism for agricultural operations. (b) Take strong measures to protect the arable land. There can be no relaxation. The total cultivated land in the country is not less than 1.8 billion mu, and the basic farmland is not less than 1.56 billion mu. (3) Make great efforts to strengthen the construction of agricultural infrastructure, especially the construction of farmland water conservancy, and steadily increase the basic farmland fertility and output capacity. (d) efforts to increase farmers' income. The country’s fiscal expenditures are mainly focused on the rural areas, gradually regulating grain prices, and increasing farmers’ grain subsidies on a yearly basis. (5) Strengthen the support of science and technology, vigorously promote the research of key agricultural technologies, and strive to increase the yield of grain, and strive to make major breakthroughs. (6) Continue to deepen the reform of the grain circulation system, improve the grain market system, and strengthen the grain logistics system. (seven) improve the grain reserve system, optimize the layout of reserves and species structure, and improve the regulatory mechanism of grain reserves. (8) Improve the agricultural service system and increase financial support for rural areas and agriculture. (9) To guide science and economize on the use of grain to form a good habit of cherishing food and fighting waste throughout the society.
The meeting stressed that to safeguard national food security, it is necessary to establish and improve the central and local food safety classification responsibility system, form an effective food safety supervision and inspection and performance appraisal system, and fully implement the grain governor responsibility system. We will continue to improve policies and further mobilize the enthusiasm of local people, various departments, and farmers in developing food production.
The meeting pointed out that Jilin is one of the major grain-producing provinces in China, and it is also a key area with a large grain yield potential. To organize the implementation of the “Overall Plan for Capacity Building of Jilin Province's Production of 10 Billion Kilograms of Commodity Grain”, and to increase the grain production capacity of Jilin Province by more than 10 billion kilograms in five years or so, which is of strategic importance for safeguarding national food security. To implement this "plan," we must adhere to the principle of connotative development and rationally determine the variety structure of grain for increased production according to market demand. Strengthen water resources verification and water conservation work, and improve ecological and environmental protection measures. Adhere to multi-channel financing, increase support for food production in Jilin Province. The meeting demanded that relevant departments of the State Council and areas with greater grain yield potential should step up efforts to study plans and measures for increasing grain production.

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