The reform and buildup of grassroots agri-tech propagation system was deepened in an all-around manner in 2011. Township agri-tech propagation institutions were improved in organization and in working mechanisms. Progress was made in condition building for township agri-tech propagation institutions, and their capacity in offering public services was remarkably enhanced.
1) Township or regional agri-tech propagation institutions were improved. The MoA formulated reference standards for the improvement of township or regional agri-tech propagation institutions. Various provinces also formulated their own reference standards and carried out acceptance checks. By the end of 2011, 2,475 counties (cities, districts) had completed the reform and buildup of grassroots agri-tech propagation system, 95% of the counties (cities, districts) that were obliged to do so.
2) Facilities of township agri-tech propagation institutions kept on improving. The central finances invested 1 billion yuan to support the development of 7,428 township agritech propagation stations in 1,084 counties in 31 provinces (autonomous regions). The money was used for the construction of offices and the procurement of equipment. The projects enabled grassroots agri-tech propagation personnel to have proper offices and means of service.
3) Investment in agri-tech propagation kept on increasing. The program of demonstration counties for the reform and buildup of grassroots agri-tech propagation was continued. The program involved the selection of 80,000 technical instructors in 800 demonstration counties, the development of 800,000 science and technology demonstration households and the establishment of 8,000 demonstration bases for agricultural science and technological experiments.
4) The working mechanisms of agri-tech propagation were improved. The MoA released Opinions on Strengthening the Development of Working Mechanisms for Grassroots Agri-tech Propagation to guide various localities to strengthen the development of regimes for personnel recruitment, accountability, assessment, training and flexible propagation. Local authorities were asked to take as starting point the needs of farmers for science and technology and take as objectives the enhancement of service capacity and actual effects of services in order to promote the efficiency and the standardized management of grassroots agri-tech propagation.
5) Legislation in agri-tech propagation made progress. The amendment of the Law of Agri-tech Popularization was included in the 2011 work diary of the National People's Congress (NPC). The MoA worked with the NPC's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee to formulate a working program and to carry out in-depth research and extensive consultations for the drawing up of Draft Amendments to the Law of Agri-tech Popularization (for Discussion).
6) The reform and buildup of grassroots agri-tech propagation system entered a new stage. In December 2011 the MoA held a national conference in Beijing on the development of agricultural public institutions, at which measures for and experience and achievements in the development of agricultural public institutions such as township or regional agri-tech propagation institutions since the Third Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee were summarized in an all-around manner, and made overall arrangements for further improvement of township or regional agri-tech propagation institutions. The conference indicated that the reform and buildup of grassroots agri-tech propagation system had entered a new stage of in-depth reform and overall improvement.
