Agricultural science and technology in China is rapidly advancing, transforming the vast rural landscape with a strong technological edge. The nation's commitment to modernizing agriculture through scientific progress is reshaping traditional farming into a scene of smart equipment, high-yield seeds, and data-driven management, all contributing to a more robust and efficient food production system.
A key pillar of this transformation is the development of superior crop varieties. For example, despite heavy autumn rains in 2025 that delayed wheat planting in the Huang-Huai-Hai region, the 2026 summer grain output surpassed 300 billion jin for the first time, reaching 301.49 billion jin. Wheat yield per mu hit 402.6 kilograms, a 0.9% increase from the previous year. This resilience is largely attributed to new varieties with strong resistance to lodging, scab, and pre-harvest sprouting, which provided critical support for disaster resistance and a bountiful harvest.
In Jiangsu's Yangzhou, the new scab-resistant wheat variety "Yangmai 53" saw its first large-scale promotion and achieved a good harvest despite the region's high humidity. In WuYi County, Hebei, China's self-developed durum wheat achieved its first large-scale field harvest, with yields surpassing imported varieties, marking a breakthrough in reducing reliance on foreign supplies. Furthermore, the new extra-early rapeseed variety "Zhongyouzao 5" in Xinfeng County, Jiangxi, produced 201.96 kilograms per mu in a single mechanical harvest, with a growth period 14 days shorter than the national target, helping to alleviate the "grain-oil competition for land" conflict in southern double-cropping rice areas.
The foundation for food security is being solidified with these improved seeds. Currently, over 95% of the planting area for major crops uses domestically developed varieties, with the coverage rate of improved varieties exceeding 96%. The market share for domestic seed sources in vegetables, aquaculture, and livestock is over 91%, 86%, and 80%, respectively. The country's germplasm resource bank is the world's largest, providing a solid base for future breeding innovation. The push for seed industry breakthroughs continues with the selection and promotion of high-quality, disease-resistant, and stress-tolerant varieties, including high-quality rice and water-saving, disease-resistant wheat.
Smart agricultural machinery is also redefining the production landscape. Farmers like Zhou Dehua from Qixing Farm in Beidajiang, Heilongjiang, note how tasks like rice transplanting have become effortless with intelligent machines that plant neatly and monitor soil moisture and pests automatically. At Qixing Farm, technicians can track the entire soaking and germination process with real-time data on oxygen, water temperature, and levels, all managed automatically and visually. Inspection robots in seedling greenhouses accurately identify pest and disease locations, providing targeted treatment plans, while combine harvesters with automatic yield measurement display output data directly on the cab screen.
Across the entire Beidajiang branch, nearly 19,800 sets of agricultural machinery are equipped with navigation systems. Using Beidou navigation and smart monitoring technologies, these systems reduce labor input and decrease the use of fertilizers and pesticides. From the southern coast to the northwest border, precision seeders, intelligent transplanters, unmanned crop protection machines, and combines are now standard. In high-standard farmland, smart water and fertilizer robots monitor temperature, nutrients, and soil moisture, while vegetable-picking robots gently harvest produce without damage. The nationwide mechanization rate for crop cultivation and harvesting has reached 76.7%, with major grains like wheat, corn, and rice achieving full mechanization. There are over 300,000 agricultural drones in use, covering more than 460 million mu annually.
The integration of the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence is making agricultural production more "intelligent." During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China developed the world's first intelligent breeding robot, "Jier," and agricultural AI models like "Tianquan" and "Shennong," which greatly improve breeding efficiency. Breakthroughs in technologies like power shift and continuously variable transmission for agricultural machinery have led to the deployment of 300-horsepower CVT tractors and electric high-speed precision seeders. Several self-developed six-row cotton pickers are also enhancing market competitiveness, further solidifying the equipment support for agricultural modernization.
The fruits of these technological advances are reaching the fields, as seen in recent efforts in Ruyang County, Henan. Ma Zhankuan, an agricultural technology researcher, is actively organizing teams to inspect fields after heavy rains from Typhoon "White Dolphin" caused waterlogging and raised the risk of pests and diseases. Their prompt actions to drain flooded fields and provide pest control guidance are crucial for ensuring the autumn harvest. Local large-scale farmer Sun Yule expressed relief, noting that early warnings before the typhoon allowed them to clear field channels, and post-disaster expert advice on crop health and pesticide use has boosted their confidence. The technical content of farming has increased significantly, moving away from guesswork.
Effective agricultural technology services are the key to converting scientific advances into real harvest gains. China has a network of 57,400 agricultural technology promotion institutions with approximately 460,000 personnel. These institutions are innovating with models like "open competition" for projects and regional technology promotion to play a vital role in ensuring food security and preventing animal and plant diseases. Additionally, diverse service models, including science and technology commissioners and "science and technology backyards," are being encouraged. By the end of 2025, there were 1.111 million business entities providing socialized services, covering over 2.29 billion mu annually. This has allowed more advanced cultivation techniques and efficient farming models to move from labs to the fields, benefiting farmers and boosting industry efficiency.
China's modern agricultural industry technology system has also been highly effective. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, it developed over 6,900 new technologies, processes, and equipment, trained 18.85 million grassroots technicians and farmers, and provided 25,400 emergency and disaster relief technical services, nurturing many industries that enrich local communities. Zhou Yunlong emphasized the importance of integrating industry and science, using both the modern agricultural industry technology system and grassroots promotion networks to select, connect, and quickly implement good results in the fields.
Looking ahead to the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will adhere to a strategic orientation of serving the world's scientific frontiers, the main economic battlefield, national major needs, and people's health. The focus will be on strengthening the supply of scientific and technological innovation and driving industrial demand, enhancing systematic research capabilities, and improving the efficiency of agricultural science and technology investment. The goal is to provide strong support for accelerating the self-reliance and strength of high-level agricultural science and technology.