The Office of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), and the National Administration for Rural Revitalization held a meeting on consolidating poverty alleviation outcomes and implementing the rural revitalization strategy in Beijing on March 30. Director of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

It was noted at the meeting that the shift from poverty alleviation to rural revitalization marked a major milestone and strategic transition in the work of departments responsible for agricultural and rural development. All departments concerned were encouraged to identify work priorities and pool resources, policy initiatives and work arrangements in the context of the rural revitalization drive.

It was highlighted at the meeting that consolidating poverty alleviation outcomes must be given more prominence as a priority for agricultural and rural work during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), to prevent any large-scale relapse into poverty. Institutional restructuring should be carried out in departments on poverty alleviation at all levels in a steady manner to identify respective mandates and responsibilities for rural work offices of local CPC committee, departments of agricultural and rural affairs and departments for rural revitalization, and ensure that the rural work offices of local CPC committee play a leading role with other departments supporting the course, to provide strong political and institutional safeguards for all-round rural revitalization.

It was stressed at the meeting that the work related to agriculture, farmers and rural areas counted very much for the 14th Five-Year Plan to kick off to a good start. Therefore, institutional restructuring and work priorities should both be highly valued with an attempt to implement key tasks for rural revitalization. To consolidate the poverty alleviation outcomes, main risks leading to scale relapse to poverty should be made clear and early warning indicators and response plans should be developed to carry out regular monitoring and assistance, to continuously promote industrial development in areas that have shaken off poverty. To promote rural revitalization, a clearly spell-out accountability mechanism, a rigorous performance assessment system, and a diversified and efficient resource mobilization system should be put in place to ensure the effective implementation of key tasks.

Liu Huanxin, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, chaired the meeting. Wang Zhengpu, Deputy Director for Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs and the Director for the National Administration for Rural Revitalization, attended the meeting and gave detailed instructions to departments responsible for rural revitalization.