No.1 Central Document Indicates a Strategic Effort for Rural Reforms and Food Security

China has recently issued “No. 1 Central Document” for 2025 to deepen rural reforms further and ensure national food security. This document underscores a defining theme in Beijing’s long-term strategy: the deepening of rural reforms as the backbone of national development.

Released annually as a policy roadmap, this document sets the tone for the government’s policy priorities. And this year, it has taken a decisive step toward securing agricultural modernization, safeguarding food security, and advancing all-around rural revitalization. This marks a strategic step by China to strengthen agriculture and rural development in the face of new global risks.

This policy blueprint encompasses a wide range of objectives to strengthen the agricultural sector, improve the standard of living of people in rural areas and ensure national food security. The document emphasizes the word “reform” as the key to its strategy, reflecting the identification of a need to change the systemic and institutional structure of rural development. This approach is not just a continuation of the previous policies but an enhancement in light of the dynamic environment within the domestic and international contexts.

This special priority on the rural reform is the improvement of the mechanisms supporting grain production. China is trying to improve policies and adjust the coordination between the agriculture trade and production to develop a diversified food supply system. This initiative is to enhance the country’s food security by ensuring that there is a sufficient supply of important agricultural products in the market.

Amid rising global uncertainty, the document stresses the need to ensure food security in China. China intends to launch an inter-provincial compensation mechanism to support major grain-producing areas, encourage the development of biotech industrial farming, and support the growth of the pork, beef and dairy sectors. These measures are to reduce the country’s dependence on imported food, mitigate any risks of trade barriers and enhance food production and supply sustainability.

Scientific and technology innovation is well-embraced in agriculture as a key driver in the implementation of the document. Digital planting technologies are to be developed and a national agricultural and rural big data platform is to be established. China is planning to use big data, GPS and artificial intelligence in farming, animal husbandry and fisheries to improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase yield. It is expected that the application of the latest technologies will change the conventional agriculture and improve the yield and the quality of the products, as well as the monitoring of the crops during the growing season. Such innovations are likely to not only increase yield but also enhance sustainability with respect to agricultural resources.

The document also points to the need to ensure that no large-scale lapse or relapse into poverty occurs. It calls for the development of mechanisms for identifying and supporting the poor and underdeveloped regions. To guarantee the continuity and further development of the results obtained in the fight against poverty, China has sought to improve the management of assets generated through the state’s fight against poverty. This ensures that economic development will not be short-lived and that rural areas continue to grow and contribute to the overall stability and development of the nation.

The policy identifies three major actions:  rural industrial development, rural construction and rural governance. These initiatives are meant to support the improvement of the agriculture sector, and improvement of access to social services and facilities in the rural areas. To this end, the plan seeks to improve rural industries to open up other sources of income and improve on the living standard of farmers.

Moreover, the document also focuses on the development of grassroots innovation and governance. This includes strengthening the local Party organizations, creating a good rural environment and changing the rural traditions to maintain stability and order in rural areas. According to the report, effective human, land and capital resources have to be well coordinated to support rural reforms. The document requires the enhancement of the procedures to increase the effectiveness of these factors. This involves ensuring the security of rural land contract relations and directing public expenditure to the agricultural and rural sectors.

China’s “No. 1 Central Document” for 2025 identifies a systematic and strategic approach to rural reform and food security over the medium term. In this regard, the policy aims to enhance systemic changes, integrate technology and stratify the use of resources to invigorate rural areas and strengthen the agricultural base of the country. This concerted effort reflects China’s determination to overcome the growing global challenges, ensure the well-being of its rural populations, and fulfill the general goal of the country’s modernization and stability.

The article reflects the author’s opinions, and not necessarily the views of China Focus.