In recent years, Shandong province has been ramping up efforts to stabilize and increase agricultural production, steadily raise farmers' incomes, and improve the rural living environment.

Shandong, a major agricultural province, has been working hard to safeguard national food security. By the end of 2021, a total of 4.52 million hectares of high-quality farmland had been developed in Shandong.

Farmers harvest corn on Sept 12 in Linyi, Shandong province. [Photo by VCG/Dazhong News]

Total grain output in Shandong has remained above 50 million tons for eight consecutive years. Its total output value of the agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery industries exceeded 1 trillion yuan ($139.8 billion) in 2020 and has continued to grow rapidly, and the per capita disposable income of rural residents in the province exceeded 20,000 yuan for the first time in 2021.

In the past 10 years, Shandong has accelerated the development of smart agriculture and improved its production capacity with professional and precise technical guidance through big data and other cutting-edge technologies and the latest farm machinery.

Efforts have been made to promote the vitalization of the seed industry, which is known as the foundation of agricultural modernization. Shandong has invested heavily to achieve self-reliance in seed technology and ensure that germplasm resources are independent and controllable.

The province is also working to improve the people's well-being and rural living environment, and to build a new socialist countryside that is beautiful, prosperous and harmonious.