Promoting agriculture

Promoting innovation in science and technology for agriculture as the main theme of this year's No 1 document, jointly released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, not only demonstrates the central authorities' concern for agriculture. It also points to their consideration for the long-term development of agriculture.

With bumper harvests for eight consecutive years, the total grain output reached 571 billion kilograms in 2011. Whether the country can sustain such momentum will have a significant bearing on the country's overall economic growth and social progress amid the deepening influence of climate change and increasing shortages of arable land and water.

With the per capita arable land area only 0.09 hectares at present and continuing urbanization, it is unrealistic to rely on expanding the area of arable land for greater production. And relying on increasing the use of fertilizer and pesticide will not just affect farming efficiency but also cause long-term damage to the environment.