The 2021 Central Document No. 1, titled “Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Comprehensively Advancing Rural Revitalization and Accelerating the Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Areas” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), was officially released on the 21st. It provides important guidance for work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers in China this year and throughout the 14th Five-Year Plan period.The "Opinions" state that we must persist in treating the resolution of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" issues as the top priority of the Party’s work, regard the comprehensive advancement of rural revitalization as a major task in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and mobilize the entire Party and society to accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, enabling the vast majority of farmers to lead a better life.

First, we must effectively link the consolidation and expansion of poverty alleviation achievements with rural revitalization. A transition period will be established to reasonably control the pace, intensity, and timeline, gradually achieving a smooth transition from concentrating resources to support poverty alleviation to comprehensively advancing rural revitalization, thereby driving a historic shift in the focus of work on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.We will continue to consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation, improve the dynamic monitoring and assistance mechanisms to prevent relapse into poverty, promptly identify and assist those at risk of falling back into poverty, and ensure that large-scale relapse into poverty is prevented. We will continue to advance rural revitalization in areas previously affected by poverty. We will implement initiatives to upgrade distinctive agricultural and livestock industries in these areas, widely carry out activities to connect agricultural product production with sales, and deepen and expand consumption-based assistance.We will continue to organize labor dispatch programs, make coordinated and effective use of public welfare positions, and provide employment assistance to eligible individuals facing employment difficulties. In the field of agricultural and rural infrastructure construction, we will promote workfare programs to absorb more people who have escaped poverty and low-income individuals into local and nearby employment. We will strengthen routine assistance for low-income rural populations, conduct dynamic monitoring of low-income rural residents, and implement tiered and categorized assistance.

Second, accelerate the advancement of agricultural modernization. Implement joint responsibility of Party and government for food security and thoroughly implement the strategy for ensuring the supply of key agricultural products. Win the battle to revitalize the seed industry, strengthen the protection, development, and utilization of agricultural genetic resources, and enhance the construction of national repositories for crop, livestock, poultry, and marine fishery genetic resources. Resolutely uphold the red line of 1.8 billion mu of arable land, coordinate the layout of functional spaces such as ecological, agricultural, and urban areas, scientifically demarcate boundaries for various spatial controls, and strictly enforce land-use regulations.We will strengthen the support of modern agricultural science and technology as well as material equipment, and carry out the continuation, upgrading, and modernization of large and medium-sized irrigation districts. We will build a modern rural industrial system and advance the construction of demonstration parks for the integrated development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors in rural areas, as well as science and technology demonstration zones. We will promote green agricultural development, support the construction of national pilot zones for green agricultural development, and develop water-saving and dryland agriculture. We will advance the development of a modern agricultural management system, with a focus on family farms and farmers’ cooperatives as the two main types of business entities, and encourage the development of various forms of moderate-scale operations.

Third, vigorously implement the Rural Construction Initiative. Accelerate village planning efforts, actively and orderly advance the formulation of practical village plans that integrate multiple planning frameworks, and achieve full coverage of village planning as soon as possible for villages that meet the conditions and have the need. Strengthen the construction of rural public infrastructure, continue to prioritize rural areas in public infrastructure development, and focus on extending coverage to villages and households.Implement the Five-Year Action Plan for Improving the Rural Living Environment, advance the “Rural Toilet Revolution” in a categorized and orderly manner, construct sewage treatment facilities tailored to local conditions, and improve the management and maintenance mechanisms for rural living environment facilities. Enhance the level of basic public services in rural areas. Establish a mechanism for the balanced allocation of urban and rural public resources, strengthen the coordinated provision of basic public services across counties, townships, and villages, and gradually achieve unified standards and integrated systems.Accelerate the integrated development of urban and rural areas within counties. Promote people-centered new-type urbanization and foster the coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities as well as small towns. Comprehensively stimulate rural consumption. Strengthen investment guarantees for the priority development of agriculture and rural areas, and continue to prioritize agriculture and rural development in the general public budget. Deepen rural reforms, improve the rural property rights system and the market-based allocation mechanism for production factors, and fully unleash the endogenous driving forces of rural development.