The Chinese government is beefing up efforts to increase investment on agriculture-related research and technological innovation in a bid to accelerate the development of its agriculture and improve the livelihood of its rural population. Xiaohong has more.

Reporter:

China is a big agricultural nation, with two-thirds of its 1.3 billion people living in rural areas. With the decline in farmland, advanced technology is playing a key part in boosting agricultural yields.

Investing more in agricultural research and technological innovation has been listed as a priority on the central government's agenda this year. Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology, explains.

"The core of developing modern agriculture and accelerating the development of the countryside lies in the development of agricultural technology. The central government has pointed out that the large number of rural residents is likely to be the driving force in boosting domestic demand to prop up the slowing economy."

The Ministry of Science and Technology will allocate more funding this year to cultivate high-yield breeds, accelerate the promotion of new technology and conduct follow-up research and developments.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has put a number of programs in place to assist farmers in boosting production. One of the projects involves sending more technicians out to the countryside to give farmers on-the-spot lectures and instructions.

Weng Qiyong, an official with Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences in southeastern China, said the provincial government has invested 12 million yuan, or 1.7 million US dollars, to carry out this program before the spring cultivation season.

"More than a hundred technicians will go to the countryside to provide technical assistance. The project has two major targets, agricultural enterprises and individuals with large-scale plantations. The technicians will conduct research on specific cases to help them solve production problems."

To date, more than 3,000 new technologies and research results have been registered. These outcomes include a wide range of breakthroughs in high-yield breeding and gene-modified breeding, as well as pesticide upgrades. Thanks to these technologies, grain yields have improved from 1030 kg per acre in 1949 to 4500 kg in 2005.

Science and Technology Minister Wan Gang says agricultural technology also helps farmers deal with natural disasters.

"The Ministry of Science and Technology has launched a campaign to fight the severe drought and reduce its negative impacts. We have mobilized scientists from various fields to conduct research in drought-hit areas and provide timely and practical instructions to farmers."

Though the severe drought has been alleviated, the Ministry of Agriculture says strengthening the role of science and technology to fight against droughts and other natural disasters will be a long-term goal.

Xiaohong, CRI News.