How can science and technology boost the modernization of agriculture? Zhang Xiaolun, president of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), put forward a series of suggestions in response to this question at the ongoing "two sessions" in Beijing.

CPPCC member Zhang Xiaolun. [photo provided to China.org.cn]

"The core problem in the agricultural machinery and equipment industry is the technical problem," Zhang said. "We should strive to break through the bottlenecks in technology and equipment, grasp the crux of the problem, and prevent agricultural science and technology from hindering agricultural development."

In recent years, the CPC Central Committee and all levels of governments have attached great importance to agricultural mechanization in the development of modern agriculture, increasing their support and optimizing the development environment. As such, the country has made significant progress in agricultural mechanization.

The work report of the government delivered during this year's "two sessions" pointed out that over the past five years, China has accelerated sci-tech innovation and application in the seed industry and agricultural machinery, while the overall mechanization rate of plowing, sowing and reaping has increased from 67% to 73%.

Zhang Xiaolun believes that this shows that the country's agricultural mechanization has entered a new stage, completing the shift from partial to full and efficient mechanization.

Zhang said that China is narrowing the gap with the advanced international level in agricultural equipment R&D; the lack of agricultural machinery and equipment in main cash crops has been basically solved; and the agricultural machinery manufacturing capacity and international competitiveness of products have been significantly improved. The strategy of increasing grain output by enhancing farmland quality and promoting the application of agricultural technology is also being strengthened to ensure China's national food security.

According to reports, more than 4,000 kinds of domestically manufactured agricultural machinery are being used in various terrains, such as plateaus, plains, hills and mountains.

"The complex and fast-changing external environment has brought uncertainty to global grain production," Zhang observed. "We must further strengthen the ‘bottom line' thinking and address the situation of domestic grain supply that is sufficient overall, but tightly balanced in the medium-to-long-term. Faced with the problems of an aging population and shortages of agricultural labor, it is imperative to accelerate the development of mechanization and intelligent agriculture."

He noted that there is currently a large gap between China and developed countries in terms of agricultural machinery and overall technology despite of the progress achieved so far. China is also still highly dependent on foreign countries for high-end equipment and certain key components, and faces prominent problems regarding agricultural machinery in hilly and mountainous areas. Meanwhile, domestic agricultural machinery enterprises are generally of small scale, and lack international competitiveness and brand influence. As such, it will be a long and arduous task for the agricultural machinery and equipment industry to support the rural revitalization strategy and build China into an agricultural power.

To resolve these problems, it is necessary to focus on technology and equipment manufacturing, and make breakthroughs in key areas.

The recent government work report stressed that supporting agricultural science, technology and equipment will be a priority over the next five years, the key to which is overcoming difficulties through independent innovation. In order to achieve this, Zhang laid out suggestions in four areas: 

First, China should further strengthen research into key technologies for agricultural machinery and equipment. Zhang suggested strengthening basic research on the application of agricultural machinery and equipment, deploying medium- and long-term original and leading technologies, organizing high-quality resources to jointly tackle key problems, learning from the experiences of advanced foreign enterprises, enhancing innovation capacity, and developing intelligent agricultural equipment and systems.

Second, it should further optimize the innovation system of agricultural machinery equipment. Zhang suggested supporting the development of national key laboratories, engineering research centers and technology innovation centers in the field of agricultural machinery and equipment, and fostering high-level universities and modern scientific research institutes. He also called for supporting the development of new innovation areas, establishing multi-field collaborative innovation consortiums, and building a more systematic, complete and efficient agricultural machinery and equipment innovation system.

Third, the country should further optimize its agricultural machinery subsidy policy to enhance the effect of subsidies. Zhang proposed accelerating the joint implementation of factory audits and the "optimal machinery and compensation" program, upgrading existing audit standards by adding requirements for core component localization and homemade quotas as well as reviews of intelligent application and other aspects, encouraging enterprises to increase R&D investment so as to gradually realize the balanced development of the whole domestic agricultural machinery industry chain. At the same time, he called on the country to increase subsidies for the purchase and application of new agricultural machinery and equipment technologies and products, and promote the integration and application of complete sets of agricultural machinery and equipment.

Finally, China should fully utilize its long industry chain to create a "Chinese brand" of agricultural machinery and equipment. Zhang suggested increasing support for leading high-end agricultural machinery manufacturers as well as major players in the tractor industry, and increasing policy synergy in sci-tech, finance, industry and other aspects, so as to realize full support from projects, platforms, talents and funds. In particular, he stressed the need to support enterprises in cooperating with universities, and to accelerate the cultivation of talented professionals in new interdisciplinary fields of agricultural engineering.

As one of China's leading enterprises in agricultural machinery and equipment R&D and manufacturing, Sinomach enjoys a global reputation for its agricultural machinery products represented by such brands as DFH, Sinoharv and MAEC. Sinomach has made breakthroughs in a number of core technologies supporting industrial development, providing crucial support for promoting rural revitalization and building China into an agricultural power.

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