During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China strengthened its overall agricultural production capacity, consolidated the gains of poverty alleviation, raised farmers' living standards, and made tangible progress in all-round rural revitalization.

On January 3, China released its 2026 "No. 1 Central Document," laying out a roadmap to advance agricultural and rural modernization and to promote all-round rural revitalization.

The document emphasizes that agricultural and rural modernization is fundamental to the overall quality and sustainability of China's modernization drive.

It comprises six parts, covering six key areas: enhancing overall production capacity, quality and performance of agriculture; implementing regular and targeted assistance measures; promoting stable income growth for farmers; building a beautiful and harmonious countryside desirable to live and work in, based on local conditions; strengthening institutional innovation; and continuing the Party's leadership over work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

Agriculture and rural development are prioritized, with food security as the bottom line, and integrated urban-rural development.

Agriculture will be developed into a modern large-scale industry, ensuring that rural areas have modern living conditions, and farmers enjoy a more prosperous and fulfilling life.

Enhancing agricultural productivity and quality is central. The aim is to maintain total grain output at around 1.4 trillion jin (700 million tonnes), while promoting higher yields per unit area through improved farmland, seed varieties, machinery and farming techniques.

This will be assisted by diversifying oilseed supplies, stabilizing key agricultural sectors such as cotton and sugar, and advancing food conservation efforts.

The "vegetable basket" industries will be upgraded by developing a diversified food supply system that integrates farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fisheries.

Measures for this include strengthening livestock capacity regulation, promoting modern facility agriculture, expanding deep-sea aquaculture, and tightening food safety supervision across the entire supply chain.

Technological innovation is a key driver, supporting breakthroughs in core agricultural technologies, the industrialization of biological breeding, and the development of smart and adaptive agricultural machinery.

It will also be harnessed to integrate AI, drones, the Internet of Things and robotics into agricultural production, while reforming agricultural research institutions and strengthening grassroots extension services.

Boosting farmers' incomes remains a primary objective. The document outlines measures to stabilize farm earnings through coordinated pricing, subsidies and insurance policies, cultivate county-level industries that enrich local communities, promote stable employment for migrant workers, and expand rural consumption.

Simultaneously, targeted, regular assistance policies will prevent a large-scale return to poverty. Monitoring mechanisms will be improved, enhancing industrial and employment support, and tailoring policies for underdeveloped regions.