In 2012, focusing on agricultural science and technology, the CPC Central Committee's Document No. 1 unveiled a number of major policies on building the grassroots-level agro-tech popularization system. In the past year, all regions and all departments vigorously put into practice the central authorities' deployment and requirements. Efforts were made to pursue important breakthroughs and positive progress in construction of the grassroots-level agro-tech popularization system through aggressive and solid work, adaptation to local conditions, and bolder innovation.
1. Organization and leadership was further enhanced The MoA released the opinions on accelerating innovation and popularization of agricultural science and technology. Construction of the agro-tech popularization system was included in the extended examination of performance management of province-level agricultural sectors and the implementation of this job was promoted effectively.
All over the Country, 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) released special documents on guiding the innovation and popularization of agricultural science and technology. In certain provinces, symposiums were held to draw up specific opinions and implementation plans. Regarding problems in reform and construction of the grassroots-level agro-tech popularization system, the MoA and governments of some provinces carried out supervisions.
With the joint efforts of all regions and all departments, the mission of improving all township- or region-level public service agencies responsible for agro-tech popularization and animal and plant disease control within 3 years, assigned by the third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, had been generally completed, and the construction of the agro-product quality control system was advanced in a substantial, effective and speedy manner.
2. Investment was further ensured The state allocated 3.8 billion yuan from the central finances for projects to improve township-level agro-tech popularization institutions, marking the largest annual investment in this area in recent years.
From 2010 to 2012，the central authorities invested accumulated 5 billion yuan to build township-level agro-tech popularization institutions. In general terms, necessary infrastructure had been built in all townships in the western China, and all those in central and eastern China had been outfitted with necessary equipment.
A sum of 2.6 billion yuan was set aside in central finances as special funds for subsidizing the reform and construction of grassroots-level agro-tech popularization system and supporting the agro-tech popularization services by grassroots-level organizations, with its coverage extended to virtually all agricultural counties and priorities given to major counties in grain farming, animal husbandry and aquiculture.
Some local governments released relevant support policies. The government of Jiangsu province allocated 177 million yuan to support projects of improving township-level centers of integrated services for agro-tech popularization; the government of Jiangsu province provided the fund for agro-tech popularization with the standard of not lower than 50 000 yuan per township based on the farming scale and performance of services; the government of Jiangxi province allocated 10 million yuan as a special fund for rewarding counties with the reform done well and excellent services.
3. The quality of workforce was further raised Focusing on popularization of technologies in crop farming, animal husbandry, fishery and farm machinery, a plan for cultivating 10 000 leading technicians in agro-tech popularization was organized and implemented to train all of over 10 000 leading technicians in rotation and cultivate 1 800 leading technicians in the field to make them chief experts in local agro-tech popularization.
Professional training of grassroots-level agrotechnicians was strengthened. Agro-technicians were trained for 150 000 person-times as total all year around. The system for job posting and bidding of agro-technicians was improved. The proportion of skilled personnel in the workforce of popularization was further raised.
The qualification system was explored in Sichuan, Hubei and other provinces to standardize conditions for agro-technician's post. A mechanism for oriented training of agro-technician was established in Zhejiang. Several thousands of college graduates was recruited by institutions of agro-tech popularization at county and township levels in Gansu, Fujian and other provinces and a fresh blood was given to the workforce of agro-tech popularization.
4. Systems and mechanisms for agro-tech popularization were further improved It was clearly required that township-level agro-tech popularization institutions were administrated directly by county-level agricultural authorities. The practice of "three powers transferred to country" was realized in more counties.
The mechanism of “from experts to technicians to demonstration households” and service models like linking technical instructors with villages and farmer households were promoted vigorously. Agricultural research institutes at various levels and agricultural universities organized expert groups to provide services for agro-tech popularization. Specialized farmers' cooperatives and organizations providing special services in plant protection, farm machinery and marsh gas have become an important force of agro-tech popularization.
5. The legal system was further strengthened The Law on the Popularization of Agricultural Technology was amended and put into execution on Jan. 1, 2013. The central authorities' decisions and arrangements in the area of agro-tech popularization in recent years, work practices of all regions and all departments, and effective approaches and experiences concluded by the agricultural sector become laws through the amendment of that law.
The amended law was dramatically enhanced in pertinence, force of constraint, and operability. It provided a more powerful legal guarantee for further strengthening the agro-tech popularization and promoting the transformation and application of agricultural scientific and technological achievements.
