China will give priority to boosting farmers' income and making their lives better in 2026 through a package of measures, a Chinese government official said on Tuesday in Beijing when expounding on the central authorities' first annual policy statement on advancing agricultural and rural modernization.
Zhu Weidong, deputy director of the Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission and deputy director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, told a press conference that the "No. 1 central document," released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on Tuesday, has outlined measures aimed at raising prices of agricultural products, stabilizing employment of rural migrant workers, and solving many other problems which affect the income growth of farmers. "The first is to stabilize farmers' income from growing grains and other farming activities. The key focus will be on making good use of pricing, subsidy and insurance policies in a coordinated manner, improving the mechanisms for safeguarding and incentivizing farmers' engagement in grain production, and preventing farmers from being undercut by low grain prices," said Zhu.
"The second is to develop county-level industries that benefit rural residents. We will support all localities to leverage their distinctive resources and develop their own characteristic county economy and build unique competitiveness. We will cultivate a diverse variety of industries, extend industrial chains and expand value chains. We will create more channels and ways for farmers to participate in industrial development, improve the mechanisms for them to equally share the benefits of industrial development, and realize a virtuous cycle of thriving industries and income growth for farmers," said the official.
"The third is to stabilize employment of rural migrant workers. We will make plans to provide services and guarantees for people working away from their hometowns and support those returning to their hometowns to find jobs or start their own businesses," Zhu continued. "The fourth is to make good use of idle rural resources and assets. We will cultivate and strengthen new types of rural collective economies in accordance with local conditions and increase farmers' income from utilizing collective assets. We will put idle land and vacant housing to good use in accordance with the law, orderly promote market-based transfers of rural collective land designated for business construction, ensure that farmers enjoy more adequate property rights and interests, and create conditions to increase farmers' property income through multiple channels," he said.
China's "No. 1 central document" for 2026 pledges efforts to enrich farmers: official
