Book on Agriculture by Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) agriculturist Wang Zhen displayed at the National Museum of China in Beijing Photo: Yang Lanlan/CSST

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Rural revitalization represents a major task in the new era. Scholars from Central China Normal University (CCNU), Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU), Shanxi University (SXU), Shandong Agricultural University (SDAU), Northwest A&F University, Henan Normal University (HTU), and South China Normal University have jointly formed a national survey project team focusing on rural land ownership, agricultural management patterns, farmers’ inclination towards cultivation, and land resource utilization. Spanning more than 2,000 villages across 30 provinces, the project has thus far interviewed over 4,000 farmers, generating data that reflects new changes in the development of agriculture and rural areas.

New type of skilled farmers

Over the years, the issue of “who will farm the land” has become a major and urgent concern. Ying Xiaoli, a professor from the Law School at ZJNU, led a team to conduct on-site investigations in Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province, to gain insight into the governance practices transforming “small plots of land” in mountainous areas into “wealth-generating land.” They engaged with relevant functional department heads and interviewed specific practitioners such as agricultural enterprises, large-scale farmers, and smallholder farmers. In particular, the study reveals the model of “management, collection, and settlement according to farmer households,” and “unified varieties, seedling cultivation, transplanting, fertilizing, branding, and sales by leading enterprises.” This model activates the inefficient “small plots of land” by constructing entrepreneurial relationships of “co-rich partners” among agricultural enterprises, farmers, and village collectives.

While conducting field research in Qingyang City, Gansu Province, Mu Liangze, a professor from the School of Political Science and Public Management at SXU, found that most young rural residents are employed in urban areas, leaving the task of farming primarily to their parents. There remains a considerable distance to traverse in cultivating a new generation of skilled farmers, and the rewards reaped from farming for farmers need enhancement. Nevertheless, whether it is the middle-aged and elderly individuals currently engaged in farming or the youth who will assume farming roles in the future, agriculture is regarded as the “ultimate safeguard,” due to the invaluable nature of land contract rights. This phenomenon reflects the security-consciousness and livelihood considerations prevalent among Chinese smallholder farmers.

According to Chen Haotian, a professor from the College of Political Science and Public Administration at HTU, villages with distinctive industrial characteristics often record a high proportion of local land transfers, with large-scale growers becoming the “new proprietors” of agricultural land. Particularly noteworthy is the influx of a new breed of professional farmers into rural areas, ranging from veterans, successful entrepreneurs, highly educated college graduates, as well as individuals holding master’s and doctoral degrees. 

These new professional farmers are characterized by large-scale management, highly scientific and technological operation, and positive income effects, echoed Chen Guoshen, a professor from the College of Public Administration at SDAU.

Smart agriculture is experiencing rapid growth. Specialized, industrialized, and intelligent agricultural production methods have been widely accepted and adopted by large growers, Chen Haotian added. In some areas, large growers have fully implemented a “contract agriculture” sales model. Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies have made “remote farming” a reality, while digitalization and intelligent technologies permeate various aspects of farmland business, including cultivation, planting, management, and harvesting.

Transition to smart farming

Chen Junya, a professor from the Institute of China Rural Studies at CCNU, along with her team, conducted questionnaires and interviews with more than 370 farmers in 140 villages in 22 counties in Hubei Province. According to the survey data, in fields primarily operated by elderly small-scale farmers, the proportion of people aged 50 and above stands at staggering 85.9%, with nearly 18% aged 70 and over. On the one hand, elderly small-scale farmers have an urgent need for mastering agricultural mechanization; on the other hand, they exhibit relatively low satisfaction with the field applicability of current agricultural machinery.

In contrast, large-scale fields run by large grain growers boast workforces with over 90% of workers under the age of 50. These growers are not only equipped with advanced mechanization but also possess a strong demand for technical expertise in agricultural production and management. Moreover, they demonstrate a keen awareness of risk prevention measures such as purchasing agricultural insurance. Despite these advantages, they also must deal with issues related to short-term land transfer, temporary transfer contracts, and short-chain industrial management.

In Chen Junya’s view, elderly small-scale farmers constitute the foundational forces for the security and stability of China’s agricultural and rural modernization, while large-scale grain farmers serve as the backbone of this modernization drive. The country needs to effectively balance the “two types of fields” and the “two types of farmers,” stabilizing the foundation and ensuring strong support. The strong guarantee of national policies has a decisive role in enabling these two groups to perform well in their respective domains.

The social service system for farmers needs to be reinforced urgently. Chen Haotian suggested that the government should continue to invest in various social welfare programs for farmers to address their concerns. It is advisable to create a favorable service environment, fulfill the leading role of the government in the agricultural social service system, and cultivate the enthusiasm of medium-sized farmers by reducing the risk of scale farming, thus realizing the transformation from “traditional” to “smart farming.” 

Edited by YANG LANLAN