Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu
The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee put forward a new development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader has repeatedly stressed that we should protect the ecological environment like protecting our eyes and treat it like life. We should unswervingly implement the spirit of the important speeches of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and the General Secretary of the Supreme Leader, put the construction of eco-circular agriculture in a prominent position of vigorously promoting agricultural modernization and accelerating the transformation of agricultural development mode, further enhance the sense of urgency and responsibility, and push modern agriculture onto the road of sustainable development.
First, further improve the understanding of the great significance of developing eco-circular agriculture.
In recent years, China’s modern agricultural construction has been accelerated and made great achievements. However, the pressure of ensuring supply, income, safety and ecology in agriculture is increasing. Agricultural development has reached a new historical stage in which we must speed up the transformation of development mode, pay more attention to rational utilization of resources, protect the ecological environment and promote sustainable development. It is of great significance and imperative to develop ecological circular agriculture.
It is urgent to inherit and develop ecological circular agriculture by absorbing the essence of traditional agriculture and inheriting farming civilization. Farming civilization is the cornerstone of Chinese civilization. China’s 5,000-year-old traditional agriculture has always adhered to the coordinated and harmonious concept of "three talents", the agricultural time concept of avoiding disadvantages, the fertility concept of differentiating soil and fertilizing, the conservation concept of restraining desire and saving, the recycling concept of turning waste into treasure, and the traditional ecological cycle models such as paddy field system, mulberry pond, complementary crop rotation and courtyard economy, which are the main reasons for China’s "constant fertility" after thousands of years. Since 1950s, "petroleum agriculture" with high investment and high energy consumption, represented by the United States, has developed rapidly, and the land output rate and labor productivity have been greatly improved. However, the long-term excessive use of chemical substances such as fertilizers and pesticides has led to soil degradation, biodiversity destruction and environmental pollution. In recent years, many developed countries have begun to turn to the development of ecological recycling agriculture. China is in a critical period of transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. On the basis of absorbing the essence of traditional agriculture and drawing lessons from foreign countries, we must vigorously develop ecological circular agriculture and transform traditional agriculture by using modern civilization achievements such as high technology, scientific management and modern equipment.
To solve the development problems and speed up the construction of modern agriculture, it is urgent to vigorously develop ecological circular agriculture. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed that we should vigorously promote agricultural modernization and promote the simultaneous development of new industrialization, informationization, urbanization and agricultural modernization. At present, the development of China’s agricultural modernization is still lagging behind, which is a short leg of "synchronization of the four modernizations". The two "hoops" of resources and environment are getting tighter and tighter, the agricultural regional layout is not matched with the resource endowment, the grain economy and feeding structure is unreasonable, the combination of planting and breeding industry is not tight, the circulation is not smooth, and the integration of production, processing, circulation and consumption is not enough. Due to the double squeeze of agricultural production cost "floor" and agricultural product price "ceiling", the comparative benefit of agriculture continues to decline. "Nature breeds things sometimes, but land produces limited wealth". In order to meet the new challenges of agricultural development, we must vigorously develop ecological recycling agriculture, and promote the virtuous circle of increasing agricultural production, increasing farmers’ income and green mountains.
To implement the new concept of development and promote the construction of ecological civilization, it is urgent to accelerate the development of ecological circular agriculture. This year, the central government issued the Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of Ecological Civilization and the Overall Plan for the Reform of Ecological Civilization System, which is the first time at the national level to make a comprehensive deployment specifically for the construction of ecological civilization. Crops are green life, and agricultural production itself is a carbon sequestration process. Developing eco-circular agriculture is an "ecological barrier" to build a beautiful China. Implementing the new development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing, and taking eco-circular agriculture as an important form of modern agricultural development, is not only the innovation of agricultural development concept, but also the innovation of relevant policies, systems and technologies, which will provide new impetus for agricultural development, expand new space, extend industrial chain and value chain, and promote the integration of planting, breeding, marketing and tourism, and the ecological coordination of production and life.
Two, conscientiously sum up the achievements of ecological circular agriculture construction
In recent years, adapting to the new situation, we have actively explored the development of eco-circular agriculture and achieved remarkable results.
The institutional framework for the development of eco-circular agriculture has been initially established. The state has successively promulgated the Law on the Promotion of Circular Economy, the Law on the Promotion of Cleaner Production and the Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Pollution in Livestock and Poultry Breeding, and implemented the strictest farmland protection system, the strictest land-saving system, the strictest water resources management system and the grassland ecological protection subsidy and reward system, and implemented subsidies such as improved varieties, agricultural machinery, agricultural materials and water-saving irrigation. Twenty-one provinces in China have issued regulations on agricultural ecological environment protection, 11 provinces have issued regulations on cultivated land quality protection, and 13 provinces have issued regulations on rural renewable energy. The legal construction of agricultural resources and environmental protection has been continuously strengthened and the system has been continuously improved.
Further strengthened the planning guidance. The Ministry of Agriculture, together with relevant departments, has successively issued the National Agricultural Sustainable Development Plan (2015-2030) and the Master Plan for the Treatment of Outstanding Agricultural Environment Problems (2014-2018), and the Ministry of Agriculture has issued the Implementation Opinions on Fighting the Hard Battle of Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution Prevention and Control, which has comprehensively deployed the development of eco-circular agriculture. Zhejiang Province has formulated the Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Modern Eco-circular Agriculture, Anhui Province has formulated the Industrialization Construction Plan of Modern Eco-agriculture, and Jiangsu Province has formulated the Demonstration Construction Plan of Eco-circular Agriculture. The work promotion mechanism of linkage between ministries and provinces and multi-sectoral interaction has taken shape initially.
A number of key projects have been implemented. On the basis of continuing to carry out engineering projects such as soil testing, formula fertilization and grassland ecological protection, we will start the comprehensive utilization project of agricultural and rural wastes such as livestock manure and the protection and utilization of black land in Northeast China, and implement the pilot project of regional ecological recycling agriculture construction. In Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, Hunan Province, a pilot project for the remediation of farmland contaminated by heavy metals was implemented, and a pilot project for the comprehensive management of groundwater over-exploitation area was launched in Hebei Province. In the northwest regions such as Xinjiang and Gansu, it was supported to promote the recycling of plastic film in counties and cities.
The demonstration and driving system of eco-circular agriculture was initially constructed. Since the 1980s, more than 100 national eco-agricultural demonstration counties have been built in two batches, which has led to more than 500 provincial eco-agricultural demonstration counties, and a large number of typical models such as "pig-biogas-fruit", rice-fish symbiosis and forest-fruit intercropping have been explored. In recent years, China has successively supported the construction of 2 pilot provinces, 10 demonstration cities, 283 national modern agricultural demonstration zones and 1,100 beautiful countryside, initially forming a five-level eco-circular agriculture demonstration and driving system at the provincial, city (county), township, village and base levels. Various localities have also actively carried out pilot demonstrations. Zhejiang Province has built 17 provincial-level demonstration counties, 88 demonstration areas and 101 demonstration enterprises, Jiangsu Province has started the construction of 11 demonstration counties (cities, districts), and Shandong Province has identified 16 demonstration counties for ecological agriculture and rural new energy.
A number of technical models have been explored and popularized. Around the goal and task of "one control, two reductions and three basics", some good models have been explored and formed. In terms of water control, Hebei Province has formulated the technical standards and implementation specifications for the integration of water and fertilizer for major crops. In 2014, the area was 7.2 million mu, with an average water saving of 40%-60% and a fertilizer saving of 20%-30%. In terms of reducing fertilizer consumption and increasing efficiency, Anhui Province focuses on promoting the zero growth of fertilizer use for corn, vegetables and fruits, vigorously promoting new technologies such as simultaneous sowing of seeds and fertilizers, integration of water and fertilizer, and timely fertilization, and promoting returning straw to fields, increasing the application of organic fertilizers, and planting green manure. In terms of pesticide reduction and harm control, Jiangxi Province has included the zero growth of pesticide use in the important content and assessment index of the construction of the first demonstration area of ecological civilization, and implemented special actions such as public plant protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, specialized unified prevention and control, green plant protection and pesticide reduction, and law-based plant protection and law enforcement to protect farmers. In the comprehensive utilization of livestock manure, Hubei Province promotes self-absorption, base docking and centralized collection, and promotes the interactive and coordinated development of animal husbandry, planting and rural ecological construction. In the comprehensive utilization of plastic film, Gansu Province has formulated the production standard of thickened plastic film and carried out the pilot demonstration of comprehensive utilization of plastic film, and the recycling rate of waste plastic film has reached 75.4%. On the comprehensive utilization of straw, Jiangsu Province has initially formed a development pattern of diversified utilization of straw through the joint participation of government, enterprises and farmers and market-oriented operation.
Third, highlight key points, strengthen coordination, and make every effort to push eco-circular agriculture to a new level
To develop eco-circular agriculture in the new era, the general requirement is to conscientiously implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and the central government’s decision-making arrangements on the construction of ecological civilization, take vigorously promoting agricultural modernization as the goal, take accelerating the transformation of agricultural development mode as the main line, take ensuring national food security and promoting farmers’ sustained and rapid income increase as the primary task, and strive to promote the conservation of agricultural resources, clean production process, ecological industrial chain and recycling of waste, so as to promote the green development of agriculture. At present and in the future, we should focus on five major tasks.
First, adhere to overall planning and optimize the industrial structure. Further optimize the regional distribution of agriculture, explore the establishment of grain production functional zones and important agricultural product production protection zones, and increase transfer payments to major agricultural product producing areas and key ecological functional zones. Optimize and adjust the planting and breeding structure, vigorously develop herbivorous animal husbandry, support the planting of forage materials such as alfalfa and silage corn, and carry out pilot projects of circular agriculture combining grain feeding with planting and breeding. Demonstration of comprehensive planting and breeding techniques in paddy fields will be carried out, and new models such as rice-fish symbiosis and aquaponics will be popularized. Leverage the "internet plus" to develop various functions of agriculture and promote the integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries.
Second, adhere to the priority of reduction and promote cleaner agricultural production. Popularize water-saving agricultural technology and improve the utilization rate of natural precipitation and irrigation water. Promote soil testing and formula fertilization, improve fertilization methods, and encourage the use of organic fertilizers, biological fertilizers and planting green manure. Promote high-efficiency, low-toxicity and low-residue pesticides, biological pesticides and advanced pesticide application machinery, and promote the unified prevention and control of pests and diseases and green prevention and control. Carry out the transformation of large-scale livestock and poultry farms and promote clean livestock and poultry breeding. Promote mechanical technologies such as oil saving and electricity saving, reduce energy consumption of agricultural equipment, develop biogas projects according to local conditions, and vigorously promote clean energy.
Third, persist in recycling and promote the recycling of agricultural wastes. Vigorously promote standardized scale farming, promote the technical model of comprehensive utilization of livestock manure according to local conditions, and explore mechanisms such as third-party governance and PPP model for scale farming manure. We will increase the demonstration and promotion of straw returning to fields, carbonization returning to fields and soil improvement, and replacing coal with molded fuel in villages, and start the construction of a number of pilot counties for full quantitative utilization of straw. Accelerate the revision of mulching film standards, encourage the use of thickened mulching films, carry out regional demonstrations of farmland residual film recycling, and gradually improve the recycling and processing network. Continue to promote rural biogas projects and develop rural renewable energy.
Fourth, adhere to the combination of use and cultivation to promote the protection and improvement of cultivated land quality. We will promptly complete the task of delineating permanent basic farmland in 106 key cities. Ecological compound planting should be carried out according to local conditions, and intercropping, conservation tillage, grain and grass rotation and application of organic fertilizer should be adopted to promote the combination of land cultivation and land cultivation. Explore the implementation of farmland rotation fallow pilot. Establish a farmland quality survey and monitoring system, and improve the farmland quality survey, monitoring, evaluation and information release system. Accelerate the national environmental monitoring and investigation of agricultural products producing areas, establish an early warning mechanism, and promote the pilot demonstration of pollution farmland remediation and planting structure adjustment.
Fifth, we should pay equal attention to development and protection and promote the conservation of agricultural resources. We will steadily push forward the work of returning farmland to forests and grasslands, continue to implement projects such as grassland management in Beijing and Tianjin, ecological protection and construction in the Three Rivers, and carry out the construction of grassland nature reserves and comprehensive grassland management in the south. Strengthen the construction of aquatic nature reserves and aquatic germplasm conservation zone, strictly ban the "homeless network" and promote the restoration of aquaculture ecosystem. Strengthen the construction of wildlife nature reserves, carry out special rescue for endangered animal and plant species, and improve the monitoring and early warning system for wildlife resources and agricultural alien invasive organisms.
The construction of eco-circular agriculture is a long-term task and systematic project. Agricultural departments at all levels should enhance their awareness of the subject, take a highly responsible attitude, and earnestly grasp this work and achieve results. It is necessary to refine the objectives and tasks according to local conditions, strengthen communication with development and reform, finance, environmental protection and other departments, and form a strong joint effort. Strengthen policy creation, accelerate the formation of a green development-oriented subsidy system, innovate investment methods, give play to the role of financial funds, and guide financial capital and social capital to participate in construction. We will continue to strengthen the construction of pilot provinces, demonstration cities, counties, villages and fields, and build a number of technical test and demonstration bases with new business entities as the carrier. Vigorously carry out research and development of key technologies such as clean production and waste resource utilization, and promote the integration of information technology and ecological recycling agriculture. Support new business entities to carry out services such as pollution control of livestock and poultry breeding, recycling and processing of plastic film crop straw, and organic fertilizer production, and encourage large-scale business entities to introduce third-party governance by means of performance contract services. Timely summarize and publicize good practices and experiences, and help farmers establish the concept of ecological cycle development through training and other means.