China plans to become a major world power in agricultural
science and technology by 2020, the country's Minister of
Agriculture Du Qinglin said in Beijing Thursday.
Addressing a national conference on agricultural science and
technology, Du said by 2020, science and technology will contribute
63 percent of the growth in the agricultural sector, 15 percent
more than it does now.
China still has a long way to go to catch up with the United
States, where technical advancements account for 81 percent of the
growth in agriculture, and 85 percent of agricultural technologies
are actually applied to agricultural production, he said.
To achieve this goal, the minister said China will focus its
efforts on five areas.
The first is to maintain its edge in super rice,
genetically-modified anti-worm cotton, and the development of new
breeds.
The second is to develop core technologies in the production of
safe farm products, the prevention and control of agricultural
disasters, the processing of farm products and improving the
ecological environment.
The third is to manufacture its own critical agricultural
equipment so that the country will depend less on imports.
China will also strengthen its research in agricultural high
technologies and the industrial application of such technologies,
with the aim of obtaining some innovative and
internationally-advanced technologies, Du said.
The country will nurture a number of agricultural research
institutions and colleges, and corporate research centers that are
globally competitive, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2006)