China's newly released plan for agricultural and rural modernization through 2030 sends a strong signal that the country is prioritizing one of the most challenging aspects of its modernization goal and focusing on food security, technological innovation, and the integration of urban and rural development, experts said.

The State Council, China's Cabinet, recently unveiled a plan for accelerating agricultural and rural modernization during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), outlining targets and policy measures aimed at building a stronger agricultural sector.

Tu Shengwei, a researcher at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research of the National Development and Reform Commission, said while China has made remarkable progress in economic development, agriculture and rural areas remain among the weakest links in the country's modernization process.

"The plan clearly conveys a signal that China intends to accelerate efforts to address this prominent shortcoming," Tu said, adding that it maps out major tasks for rural vitalization in light of the changes expected during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

The plan sets a series of targets for 2030, including raising the country's grain production capacity to around 725 million metric tons, increasing the value added of agriculture and related industries to 25.8 trillion yuan ($3.8 trillion), and improving the contribution rate of agricultural technological progress to 67 percent.

The self-sufficiency rate of core crop seed varieties is projected to exceed 85 percent, while the comprehensive mechanization rate for crop cultivation, planting and harvesting is expected to surpass 80 percent.

China, despite record grain harvests in recent years, continues to grapple with uncertainties such as climate risks and resource constraints, placing greater emphasis on further improvements in agricultural productivity.

Tu said the plan emphasizes the need to improve high-standard farmland construction, strengthen agricultural technology innovation and expand the application of advanced technologies in seed development, agricultural machinery and disaster prevention.

"Technology should play a greater role in increasing crop yields and improving product quality," he said.

For the first time, the plan proposes cultivating emerging and future-oriented agricultural industries. According to officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the NDRC, priority sectors will include artificial intelligence-assisted breeding, new-energy agricultural machinery, the low-altitude economy, agricultural biomanufacturing and new food products.

Authorities also called for stronger policy support for innovation, including tax incentives for agricultural technology development and measures to encourage the adoption of domestically developed agricultural equipment.

The plan also highlighted improving rural livelihoods and ensuring that development directly benefits rural residents.

Hu Xiangdong, director of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences' Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, said the plan emphasizes farmers' central role in rural vitalization.

"The plan clearly answers the question of who rural development is for," Hu said.

Whether it is resources such as water, electricity and roads, or improvements in education, healthcare and other public services, the ultimate goal is to achieve more equal access to public services between urban and rural areas, he added.

He also stressed that modernization should not follow a one-size-fits-all approach. "Development is not about everyone marching in lockstep," Hu said. "Areas that move ahead first can provide valuable experience for others, but each place needs to explore development paths suited to its own circumstances," he added.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn