Shanghai issued a policy document guiding the work of advancing rural vitalization on March 26.

At its core, the document seeks to accelerate the development of modern, green agriculture. It underscores the importance of safeguarding food security, deepening reform of modern farming systems, and expanding the supply of high-quality green agricultural products.

It emphasizes the protection and improvement of arable land, alongside efforts to expedite the development of high-standard farmland.

The document highlights the need to improve the living environment in rural areas through more coherent territorial and spatial planning, as well as the coordinated development of rural clusters.

Efforts will be directed toward improving public services and the ecological environment, while strengthening governance at the village level.

In addition, Shanghai will advance the development of distinctive Shanghai-style Jiangnan villages, blending traditional watertown charm with a cosmopolitan sensibility, while promoting land consolidation across rural areas.

The policy further sets out measures to raise farmers' income through the integrated development of rural industries, the cultivation of strong agricultural brands, and the expansion of distribution channels for local produce.

The city will also work to establish a comprehensive rural tourism system and foster new consumption scenarios that integrate digital and physical experiences. At the same time, it will encourage putting idle rural land and houses to productive use, while standardizing the trading of rural collective assets and resources.

To reinforce these efforts, the document calls for continued institutional innovation, including improvements to modern agricultural management systems, the development of efficient agricultural social service frameworks, and increased investment in rural revitalization.

Further measures will focus on strengthening financial support mechanisms for agriculture and facilitating the flow of talent into rural areas.

Shanghai reported a total grain output of 1.05 million metric tons from 1.99 million mu (132,667 hectares) of arable land last year, with a yield of 526 kilograms per mu.

The city's comprehensive rural vitalization development index, as measured by the National Bureau of Statistics, reached 80.5 points, ranking first in the country for the third consecutive year.

Per capita disposable income among rural residents rose to 48,122 yuan ($6964.89), a 5.4 percent increase year-on-year and outpacing the growth rate of urban residents by 1.4 percentage points.

Source: Official WeChat account of the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government at "shanghaifabu"