The Program consists of five parts: I. Pushing forward new agricultural science and technology revolution and bringing about a leap from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture; II. The policies, principles, targets and tasks for agricultural science and technology development; III. The focus of agricultural science and technology work during the 10th Five-year Plan period; IV. Establishing a new agricultural science and technology innovative system; V. Setting up a strong agricultural science and technology security system.

Over the past 20-odd years of reform and opening up, China's agriculture has scored remarkable achievements. A historic change from long-term shortage to a basic balance between supply and demand with surplus in good years has been realized for agricultural products.

China's countryside has, as a whole, entered a transition period from having enough food and clothing to a comfortable life, and a socialist market economic structure has been basically established in rural areas. The development of China's agriculture and the rural economy has entered a new stage. By readjusting agricultural structure, enhancing agricultural efficiency, increasing farmers' income, improving the rural ecological environment and bringing about a sustained and stable development of agriculture and the rural economy, a new agricultural science and technology revolution will be surely promoted.

In order to clarify the orientation and tasks for agricultural science and technology development in the new stage, set the focus of agricultural science and technology work in the 10th Five-year Plan period and target for the year 2010, conscientiously advance the new agricultural science and technology revolution and speed up agricultural modernization, the State Council has mapped out this "Program".

(People's Daily 05/24/2001)