Shandong's governmental information office held a press conference on Aug 17 to announce the details of "Shandong's Special Program for Modernized and High-Efficiency Agriculture of New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion."  

The program, Shandong's first special project for modernized and high-efficiency agriculture, proposes six key tasks for agricultural new and old kinetic energy conversion.

Firstly, it is seen as important to update and optimize product structures and develop an advanced agricultural industry.

Secondly, it is the need to promote the integrated development of first, second and tertiary industries in terms of agriculture, so as to convert kinetic energy from single industry to new industry formats. 

Thirdly, it is the need to build regional shared brands and enhance brand influence.

Pushing forward agricultural technology innovation is also seen as being an important task, at the center of this is the drive to speed up the modern seed industry and intelligent agriculture, and further develop modernized and mechanized agriculture.

Another task that is seen as key is to cultivate new-type business subjects, innovate agricultural socialized services and strengthen personnel training and team building. 

Lastly, it is the move to deepen reform of rural collective property rights, accelerate rural land right verification, registration, and certification; and making rural areas a better place for innovation and start-ups.

The program also aims for rural revitalization by pushing forward modernized high-efficiency agriculture from the perspective of new and old kinetic energy conversion.

In terms of the long-term picture, it is hoped that agricultural growth will be achieved through enhancing quality and building brands, realizing the integration of rural industries by developing modern agriculture, and building a green agriculture model through the path of modern eco-agriculture.

It is intended as part of the program to establish 50 agricultural demonstration counties, cultivate 600 demonstration business subjects, and build 70 agricultural shared brands and 500 enterprise product brands. 

Additionally, plans are afoot to construct around 50 modern agricultural industry parks at the provincial level or above; create 50 superiority areas of characteristic agricultural products with a competitive industrial base and build demonstration counties that ensure agricultural product quality and safety, thus forming a new modern agricultural pattern of standardized production, industrialized operation and brand marketing.

The program predicts that crucial phased objectives can be achieved in the agricultural conversion of new and old kinetic energy by the end of 2022, and significant progress in the agricultural conversion of new and old kinetic energy will be realized by the end of 2028.

Specifically, it is predicted that by this time the gross output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery will hit one trillion yuan ($146 billion), and the value added of modern high-efficiency agriculture will reach 120 billion yuan, thus building modern and high-efficient competitive industries dominated by new kinetic energy and with advanced technology, sound equipment, organization, intensive business subjects and a prosperous agricultural product market.

It is also predicted by then that over half of the counties or districts in the province will be modernized in agriculture, and the growth rate of per capita disposable income of rural people will be higher than that of urban people. 

Researchers harvest a variety of saltwater-tolerant rice in Qingdao, Shandong province, in September. [Photo/China Daily]

Visitors looking at vegetable displays during a recent agricultural product exhibition in Weifang, Shandong province. [Photo by Zhao Yuguo/China Daily]

Purchasers closely examine attributes and functions of a workhorse vehicle during the 2017 Mount Tai Agricultural Machinery Exhibition in Tai'an, Shandong province. [Photo by Du Qian/my0538.com]