On October 25th, a press conference was held by the State Council Information Office to discuss the agricultural and rural economic performance in the first three quarters of 2024. During the event, a reporter inquired about the current state of industrial development aimed at consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation efforts, asking for insights into the support provided for industry growth and future considerations.
Xia Gengsheng, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, responded that since the poverty alleviation initiatives began, various localities and departments have earnestly implemented the decisions made by the central government. There has been significant progress in advancing supportive industries. Through continuous efforts, industries in formerly impoverished areas have evolved from weak to strong, expanded in scale, and lengthened their supply chains, resulting in notable achievements. Each of the 832 poverty alleviation counties has cultivated distinct leading industries that not only have strong potential for growth but also effectively support poverty alleviation and increase income for the population. The benefits of these industries are becoming increasingly evident, with former impoverished individuals now able to share in the value-added gains through various means like contract production, cooperative shares, and consumption assistance. The assurance of resources continues to strengthen, with central financial support for industry development increasing year by year, now exceeding 60%. Additionally, there has been enhanced support in technology and talent, including technical services and training for industry leaders.
Xia emphasized that recently, to align with the central government’s directives on supporting industry development through the “Four Batches” strategy—consolidating, upgrading, revitalizing, and adjusting—the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has issued guidelines for advancing high-quality support industries. Moving forward, the focus will be on three key areas:
First, there will be a concerted effort to strengthen categorized guidance. This involves a comprehensive assessment in impoverished areas to propose tailored paths and specific measures for consolidation, upgrading, revitalization, and adjustment of the supportive industries, ultimately leading to quality improvements and stable income growth for those lifted out of poverty.
Second, the ministry aims to enhance policy support by effectively utilizing central financial resources to increase financial backing for industry development, fostering sustainable progress in supportive industries.
Lastly, there will be an emphasis on promoting the upgrading of industries. Guidance will encourage localities to optimize their industrial layouts, develop new industries and business types in rural areas, address gaps in agricultural product processing and logistics, enhance facility conditions, strengthen brand development, and promote comprehensive development across the entire industrial chain. The goal is to continuously improve the quality and overall effectiveness of industrial growth.
