China has unveiled its latest policy blueprint, emphasizing the importance of ensuring a stable and abundant grain supply while continuing to boost rural development and alleviate poverty.
A Commitment to Food Security
In the newly released “No. 1 central document” for 2025, the country outlined priorities to deepen rural reforms. The document calls for efforts to enhance agricultural efficiency, safeguard grain security, and improve the quality and safety supervision of agricultural products.
Despite facing natural challenges like high temperatures, droughts, extreme floods, and super typhoons, China achieved a total grain output exceeding 706 million tonnes in 2024. This marks a 1.6 percent increase over the previous year and sets a new record, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Boosting Agricultural Production
The grain planting area expanded to over 119 million hectares, up 0.3 percent year on year. Grain output per unit area also increased by 1.3 percent. The production of soybeans reached 20.65 million tonnes, further improving the country’s self-sufficiency rate for edible vegetable oils.
China has made significant strides in agricultural mechanization, with the comprehensive mechanization rate of crop cultivation and harvesting exceeding 75 percent. The nation has completed annual tasks of constructing, renovating, and upgrading high-standard farmland, which plays a crucial role in preventing droughts and floods across various regions. By the end of 2024, over 66.7 million hectares of high-standard farmland and more than 10 million kilometers of irrigation and drainage channels had been built.
Rural Prosperity and Poverty Alleviation
China continues to consolidate and expand its achievements in poverty alleviation. By identifying 160 major counties for national rural revitalization assistance, over 177 billion yuan was allocated in subsidies to support their development in 2024.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, along with other departments, has increased efforts in technical support, services, and training industry leaders to promote sustainable growth. All 832 counties removed from the poverty list have developed two or three leading industries, with a combined output value exceeding 1.7 trillion yuan.
Work-relief programs aimed at boosting employment have been implemented. By the end of last year, more than 33.05 million previously impoverished workers found jobs, maintaining a consistent number exceeding 30 million for four consecutive years.
Improving Rural Livelihoods
Efforts to improve rural construction and people’s livelihoods are evident. The level of rural water supply security and health services in key assisted counties has steadily improved. In 2023, rural tap water coverage in 83 counties exceeded the national average, and 67 county-level hospitals met the recommended standards for service capabilities.
Additionally, the rural residents’ per capita disposable income reached 23,119 yuan (about $3,186), marking a year-on-year increase of 6.3 percent.
