On October 25, the Jiangdu District of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, held a themed press conference titled “Striving for Excellence in Practical Action to Promote Modernization in the Jiangdu Practice.” During the event, officials presented the district’s achievements in agriculture, rural areas, and farmer welfare. Notably, Jiangdu ranked first in Jiangsu Province for rural revitalization performance assessments in 2022 and 2023, with significant contributions to boosting farmers’ incomes, constructing high-standard farmland, and improving rural living environments, all recognized through provincial incentives. The per capita disposable income for rural residents reached 27,239 yuan in the first three quarters of this year, marking a 6.8% increase and positioning Jiangdu at the top in Yangzhou.
“Over recent years, we have prioritized grain production, ensuring stable sowing areas and implementing large-scale yield improvement actions for major grain and oil crops,” said Wu Weiping, Party Secretary and Director of the Jiangdu Agricultural and Rural Bureau. “Our focus has been on enhancing comprehensive grain production capabilities.”
How does Jiangdu plan to create livable and economically viable rural communities? The district emphasizes prioritized agricultural and rural development, promoting urban-rural integration, and adopting tailored strategies based on local conditions. Wang Yichun, Deputy Director of the Jiangdu District Committee’s Agricultural Office, explained, “This year in April, Jiangdu was recognized by the province as home to 29 livable and economically viable beautiful villages. We are committed to implementing more vigorous and practical measures, using the development of these villages as a key lever in our rural revitalization strategy, aiming for the establishment of one city-level area and 75 provincial-level beautiful villages by the end of next year.”
Jiangdu is also recognized as a vital grain production base, located at the headwaters of the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. It has earned “National Advanced County in Grain Production” honors twice and “Provincial Advanced County in Grain Production” honors twice. The district has maintained a stable grain output exceeding 1.3 billion jin for six consecutive years. In 2024, summer grain was planted across 642,800 acres with a yield of 379.8 kilograms per acre, totaling 244,200 tons—demonstrating a trend of growth. The autumn grain sowing area reached 721,900 acres, with rice accounting for 671,100 acres, entering the harvest phase with a promising yield ahead.
When discussing strategies for increasing and improving grain production, Wu Weiping emphasized the need for efforts in five key areas: enhancing soil quality, optimizing crop variety structures, updating agricultural machinery, strengthening agricultural technology services, and implementing farmer welfare policies. “It is crucial to strictly enforce subsidies for farmland fertility protection and rice production, motivating farmers. We are also pushing for agricultural insurance that covers comprehensive cost and income losses, ensuring that farmers receive necessary protections and compensation,” he added.
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