Food Security is Foundation for Rural Revitalization

A man with enough food feels secure, and a country with strong agriculture keeps stable. Ensure national food security and the supply of major agricultural products, especially during the pandemic, should be taken as a vital element in the work of rural revitalization. The central government has kept firmly in mind the current international and internal situation, putting forward concrete planning at the 5th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the Central Economic Work Conference.

Ensuring food production is a priority of the work of the government and the foundation of national security. We must meet the basic national food demand while bring benefits to farmers, strictly observe farmland protection rules and never cross the 120-million hectares red line for the protection of cultivated land. We also should implement the policy of balancing the occupation and replenishment of arable land to secure food production. Governments at all levels should be aware of the overall situation, increase investment in grain production, and take responsibility for China’s food security.

We need to bolster China’s grain reserves to further secure food security and complete the grain reserve system. In the face of the uncertainty brought by the virus, the Central Economic Work Conference clearly indicated that to achieve food security, grain reserves and farming technology play key roles. We also should set up systems to further expand grain reserves. We will guarantee the basic income of farmers through raising food prices or handing out agricultural subsidies, cultivating their enthusiasm for planting to ensure the sustainable development of agriculture.

We should resort to modern technology to produce safely and increase yields. To realize agricultural modernization, the key is to rely on science and technology. We should strengthen the integration between agriculture and technology, make more innovation, and better the protection and utilization of germplasm resources. Using scientific technology and methods to build smart agriculture.

We should avoid wasting food in daily lives. An old Chinese saying goes, “When you eat your food, you should remember that it is not easy to grow it; remember that every fiber of your clothing is difficult to produce.” In response to food waste, it is necessary to strengthen legislative work, establish a long-term monitoring mechanism, and resolutely stop food wasting. It is important to develop the concept of saving food in colleges and society at large.

Rural revitalization relies heavily on industry revitalization, especially the safety of agricultural industry. Maintaining food security is not only an economic issue, but also a political one. It is necessary to improve the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of China’s agriculture, continue to improve the grain production and supply capacities, and provide strong support for the realization of the second centenary goal.

Contributed by Yin Chuanzheng for Guangming Daily

Translated by Ren Meiqi