On Monday, China announced a new 10-year master plan for agricultural development, emphasizing food self-sufficiency, agricultural productivity, and the enhancement of farmers' incomes.

The plan, issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, outlines specific action targets, including achieving an annual grain production capacity of 1.4 trillion jin (approximately 700 million tons) and maintaining a reasonable self-sufficiency level for key agricultural products by 2027.

The long-term vision of the plan encompasses significant advancements in rural revitalization and agricultural modernization by 2035, aiming for comprehensive rural development alongside a significant improvement in living standards in agricultural regions.

The plan highlights ambitions for fully revitalized rural areas and complete agricultural modernization by mid-century.

Among the seven core objectives detailed in the plan, securing food supply through strengthened grain production capacity is paramount.

The plan also seeks to achieve self-reliance in high-end agricultural technology and promote urban-rural integration.

Additionally, it includes initiatives for improving foreign investment access in the agricultural sector to foster international cooperation.

The plan focuses on enhancing yield from staple crops while improving the quality of rice and wheat.

It aims to tap into the production potentials of oilseed crops, such as rapeseed and peanuts, and diversifying sources of oil production, including tea-oil camellia and animal fats.

In the livestock and vegetable supply chains, the strategy includes boosting vegetable outputs in cooler climates, enhancing the competitiveness of the dairy sector, and modernizing fishery practices.

To achieve a diversified food resource development system, the plan proposes a multi-channel approach, including expanding eco-friendly aquaculture, constructing land-based and deep-sea aquaculture farms, and employing biotechnological solutions for food production.

Recognizing the critical role of seeds in agriculture, the plan aims to revitalize the seed industry and enhance China's technological independence in seed development.

Initiatives will involve joint breeding programs, livestock genetic improvement, and the commercialization of bioengineered seeds to secure key genetic resources.

The plan categorizes food security into multiple dimensions, including production, pricing, trade, disaster mitigation, rural infrastructure, farmers' income, and governance.

It also calls for a comprehensive upgrade of agricultural machinery across the nation, with a focus on adopting high-end intelligent agricultural technologies and facilitating the domestic production of essential machinery components.

Aligning with broader industrial upgrading efforts, China's action plan anticipates a 25 percent increase in investments across various sectors, including agriculture, by 2027 compared to 2023. The upgrades are viewed as critical for constructing high-standard farmland, pivotal for ensuring food security while enabling smart farming technologies.

The integration of digital technologies with modern agriculture is another prominent feature of the plan, promoting the use of advanced technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and big data within agricultural practices.

In a practical application of these technologies, a facility in Zigui county, Hubei Province, employs robotic arms and AI systems to automate processes such as handling and sorting navel oranges, achieving rapid efficiencies in production.