China issues action plan to speed up agricultural modernization

18.01.2026 19 views

China seeks to speed up agricultural modernization over the next five years by establishing demonstration zones that leverage deepened reforms and technological innovation to enhance production capacity, as well as the quality and efficiency of agricultural output.

According to an action plan issued recently by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission, the country aims to establish and qualify up to 500 such zones by 2030.

It said the building of these zones will fall under six main categories, namely grain industry, animal husbandry, specialty industries with strength, smart agriculture, urban agriculture, and dryland agriculture.

The establishment of these zones is an important means of accelerating agricultural modernization and coordinating efforts to promote tech-driven and green agriculture, as well as quality improvement and brand building in agriculture, according to the plan.

This plan aims for these zones to take a leading role in efforts to safeguard national food security, ensure the effective supply of important agricultural products, develop new quality productive forces in agriculture, and improve the industrial and operational systems of modern agriculture.

Through these zones, the action plan expects the formation of replicable and scalable development models to push forward agricultural modernization in the country.

The announcement of this action plan followed last month's annual central rural work conference in Beijing, which called for solidly advancing rural revitalization across the board and promoting integrated urban-rural development, with a strong focus on agricultural and rural modernization.  

 

Source - https://www.globaltimes.cn

18.01.2026

India - Bihar Launches Online Crop Loss Compensation Scheme: Farmers Can Claim ₹7,500–₹10,000 per Hectare

The Bihar government has announced financial assistance for farmers affected by crop losses under the Bihar State Crop Assistance Scheme. 

18.01.2026

Afghanistan - $30m new cold storage facility opens in Kabul to boost agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MoAIL) has inaugurated a new cold storage facility in Kabul, saying it will help reduce agricultural waste, cut imports, and strengthen the economy.

18.01.2026

Pakistan frost wipes out 65% of tomato crop in Khushab district

A frost event damaged standing tomato crops across villages, including Kathha Saghraal, Kathha Misraal, and Kotli Rajgan in the foothills of Daman-e-Mahaar in Pakistan's Khushab district. Fields that had been producing red and green tomatoes were affected within a short period, with plants showing dried leaves and damaged stems.

18.01.2026

Ireland Leads Europe in Regenerative Ocean Farming

Ireland is leading a new EU-backed initiative to scale sustainable seaweed farming while restoring marine ecosystems across Europe. The SEAGROW project is funded by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and is coordinated from Ireland by Óir Na Farraige. The project aims to improve productivity in seaweed cultivation while enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem health.

18.01.2026

India needs fertiliser pricing reforms to restore soil health

India needs to urgently restore the health of its soils to improve crop health and human nutrition through a combination of approaches, including policies for rationalising fertiliser pricing, a new paper said. It also called for the development of precise, customised and site-specific fertilisation solutions, complemented by appropriate agronomic practices.

15.01.2026

Soil-based method can stop locust swarms from destroying crops

"They're very destructive when there's a lot of them, but one-on-one, what's not to love?" says Arianne Cease. She's talking about locusts.

15.01.2026

Fifty French farmers arrested after storming agriculture ministry building in Paris

Around 100 members of the Confédération Paysanne union entered a section of the ministry, which they occupied for an hour to denounce the government's agricultural policy. 

15.01.2026

Kenya - Government sets up strategic animal feed reserves to shield livestock from drought

In a bid to protect livestock and pastoralist livelihoods from recurring droughts, the government has ordered the establishment of strategic national animal feed reserves.