PR94862

BEIJING, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

China has vowed to put the improvement of comprehensive agricultural production

capacity at a more prominent position when the country's national lawmakers and

political advisors gather in Beijing to map out development priorities for 2022.

Video-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUe5sBuCNMk

On the second day of the ongoing National People's Congress (NPC) session,

President Xi Jinping Sunday visited national political advisors from the

agriculture, welfare and social security sectors and urged against slacking off

on the issue of food security.

Food security is among the country's most fundamental interests, he said while

asking, "Who will feed China?"

'Who will feed China'

Noting that of all things, eating matters most, and food is the most basic

necessity of the people, Xi said that seven decades ago, the country had an

underfed population of 400 million, but today its 1.4 billion people are eating

well and have a great range of choices.

China is capable of feeding one-fifth of the global population with nine

percent of the world's arable land and six percent of the freshwater resources,

he added.

Despite China's industrialization, food supply should never be considered an

insignificant issue, and we cannot rely solely on the international market to

solve it, he warned.

During the just-concluded annual central rural work conference, Chinese leaders

reiterated that the country must secure its own food supply at all times and

urged all relevant parties to play their part in protecting farmland and

stabilizing grain output.

China's attitude on ensuring food security has remained unchanged over the

years. At the annual Central Economic Work Conference held in 2013, Xi said

ensuring food security will remain a long-term task; therefore, it is essential

for the country to provide full and long-standing support for agriculture,

particularly grain production.

'Science and technology are key'

The security of germplasm resources is related to national security, Xi

stressed.

In developing the country's seed industry, efforts are needed to increase

self-reliance in seed technology and ensure that the country's seed resources

are self-supporting and under better control, he said, highlighting the

importance of the reform of the agricultural scientific mechanism and the

principal role of enterprises in innovation.

Stopping food waste in the catering industry is a long-term task, and we must

make persistent efforts and work to build a resource-conserving society, he

added.

China aims to establish a modern agricultural science and technology innovation

system by 2025, according to a development guideline of the Chinese Academy of

Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) for the 14th Five-Year Plan.

During discussions, Xi also noted that continued efforts must be made to

promote the high-quality development of social security, and a better social

safety net must be further developed to secure the well-being of the people.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-07/Ensuring-food-security-highlighted-in-China-s-Two-Sessions-18cS6l7P3Ow/index.html

Source: CGTN