The Implementation Path of Professionalization of the Peasantry in Agricultural Modernization〔*〕

Yan Xiaohuan

(College of Economics and Management　Northwest A&F University,Yangling　Shaanxi　712100)



The Implementation Path of Professionalization of the Peasantry in Agricultural Modernization〔*〕

Yan Xiaohuan

(College of Economics and ManagementNorthwest A&F University,YanglingShaanxi712100)

Ⅰ.Basic features of professionalization of the peasantry in agricultural modernization

1.Specialization of the peasantry

One of the basic features of modern industry is fine industrial division and the employed with professional knowledge and experience.Thus,specialization of the peasantry is one of most important features of professionalization of the peasantry in agricultural modernization,which is mainly embodied in the following aspects.First is high comprehensive quality.Peasants with high comprehensive quality should possess the knowledge of agricultural modernization and ability of exchanging information,finding,analyzing and solving problem.High average level of education is the direct embodiment of high comprehensive quality.Second is rich professional knowledge and experience in agriculture.Only peasants possess rich professional knowledge and corresponding experiment in response to the refined industrial division,can the advantage of efficiency be maximized and overall industrial level be improved.Last is a certain capacity for innovation.One of basic features of agricultural modernization is its ability of competing fairly and integrating with other industries and the fundamental guarantee of its competiveness is that the peasants have the capacity for innovation in their specific fields in order to ensure the sustainable development of agricultural modernization.〔1〕To a certain degree,the essential feature of professionalization of the peasantry is the specialization of the peasantry.Only the peasants have adequate professional qualities,can professionalization of the peasantry and agricultural modernization be guaranteed and achieved.

2.Scale management of agricultural production

The professionalization of the peasantry aims to improve efficiency of agricultural production and enable agriculture to compete with other industries fairly.Just like other industries,one essential step to improve efficiency of agricultural production is to realize scale management of agricultural production,which is the external embodiment and basic feature of professionalization of the peasantry.It mainly includes scale use of production factors of agriculture.First,scale use of land.As the most fundamental production factor,scale use of land is the most fundamental requirement for scale management of agricultural production,which will maximize the advantage in cost and efficiency of modern agriculture and professionalization of the peasantry and enhance competiveness of industry.Second,scale investment of fund.Scale investment of fund in agricultural production will lead distribution of production factors to an ideal state for improving efficiency and enhancing competiveness of industry.〔2〕Third,scale input of human resources.The professionalization of the peasantry under the condition of agricultural modernization means that the tradition of small farmers should be broken and a large number of high-quality peasants should be concentrated in an independent agricultural operating entity to realize scale input of high-quality peasants through division of labor and cooperation.

3.Integration with other occupations

The professionalization of the peasantry also features integration with other occupations as an ordinary one,mainly embodied in the following aspects.First,similar income level to other occupations makes the occupation of peasantry more attractive.Second,the peasantry is equally treated by law like other occupations.Because of the incomparable role of agriculture among all industries,different policies in certain fields are implemented.But the peasantry,as an occupation,should be equally treated by law so as to guarantee peasants’ competitiveness and smooth agricultural modernization.Third,the peasantry is involved in unified social security system,which really eliminates worries of the peasantry as an occupation.

Ⅱ.Corresponding problems of professionalization of the peasantry in agricultural modernization

1.Generally low quality of peasants as a result of talents outflow

One of the biggest problems of agricultural modernization is generally low quality of peasants as a result of talents outflow.In current society,most high-quality talents from the peasantry are taken in by other occupations through entering a higher school,employment and engaging in the third industry.On the contrary,talents from other occupations seldom move into agriculture.The one-way flow of high-quality talents results in serious outflow of talents and lower level of education of peasants than other occupations.Due to the low quality of peasants,their capacity for acquiring relevant knowledge,summarizing experience from practice and innovation on this basis will be affected negatively,which makes professionalization of the peasantry impossible because of the lack of human resource base.〔3〕Thus,generally low quality of peasants as a result of talents outflow makes the peasantry less competitive and constitutes major obstacle of professionalization of the peasantry and even agricultural modernization.

2.Fragmentation of agricultural production

Serious fragmentation of agricultural production impedes scale management of agriculture with family-contract responsibility system as the absolute mainstream of current Chinese agriculture.It is mainly embodied in agricultural production based on small-scale family management.First,the fragmentation of land use right,determining fragmentation of agricultural production fundamentally.Because farming land cannot be used in large scale,many advanced agricultural production technology cannot be promoted and land concentration of lowest degree for scale economy is difficult to achieve.〔4〕Second,the fragmentation of investment of fund.The fragmentation of land use right limits the probable total fund of each agricultural production unit,making it difficult to meet minimum threshold for scale management and thus restricting the improvement efficiency of agricultural production fundamentally.Last,the fragmentation of input of human resources.The input of human resources for agricultural production takes family as a unit,usually one or two labor forces within a family.The dispersive labor input varies and even reduces the efficiency of agriculture production due to a waste of human resource.

3.Lack of normal and unified social security system

Due to low quality of the peasantry and fragmental operation of agricultural production,the efficiency of agricultural production lags far behind other modern industries,making the peasantry earn much less than other occupations.In order to ensure the steady development of agricultural production,China has to execute different laws and regulations on countryside and peasantry,increasing the gap between the peasantry and other occupations.And the lack of normal and unified social security system further impedes the professionalization of the peasantry.It is risky for peasants to rely on land use right and their children ultimately under the situation of low land output and uncertain children.It also increases the burden on peasants’ children and weakens their competitiveness.One of the biggest differences between Chinese peasantry and other occupations is the lack of normal and unified social security system,of which explicit differentiating effect makes their integration impossible and exerts negative impact on professionalization of the peasantry.〔5〕

Ⅲ.Implementation path of professionalization of the peasantry in agricultural modernization

1.To strengthen education and training of peasants and take measures to encourage talents backflow

First,promote continuing education and improve average level of education and comprehensive quality of the peasants.Second,provide technical and managerial backbone of the peasantry with specialized training on agricultural technology and managerial knowledge and develop their capacity for innovation on this basis.Besides,measures should be taken to solve the talents outflow and raise high-quality peasants’ income to attract talents.Some preferential policies should be implemented for high-educated and high-tech talents engaged in agriculture.For example,take deduction measures in the aspects of land use right,social security payment and tax procedure for college students,provide free service and consultation on technology,policy and laws and increase fiscal subsidies.Thus,the overall quality will be improved,and specialization of the peasantry and agricultural modernization will be realized.

2.To establish the complete circulation system of farming land

One of the most important restrictions on agricultural modernization and professionalization of the peasantry is fragmental agricultural management and its essential problem is fragmental land use right.The fundamental measure to change this situation is to establish the complete circulation system of farming land.First,it is not land ownership but land use right that can be circulated.The farming land shall be owned by the state or the collective.Second,except for transaction,different methods for circulation of farming land should be permitted by law to achieve the scale management of land,such as participation of use right and partnership.Third,a series of supporting systems should be constructed,including registration system and implementation rules for transference,mortgage,participation and partnership of land use right,mandatory provisions for circulation term and distribution system for circulation benefit of land use right.Through complete circulation system of farming land,the role of the market mechanism in the allocation of production factors will be given full play and fragmental land use right will gradually transform to scale management under the pressure of market competition,and thus the goal of scale operation of agriculture of necessity for agricultural modernization and professionalization of the peasantry will be realized and efficiency of agricultural production will be improved.

3.To involve the peasantry in the refined social security system

On the one hand,that the peasantry is excluded from social security system impedes the integration process of the peasantry and other occupations,professionalization of the peasantry and agricultural modernization.On the other hand,the circulation system of land use right makes land use right become the ultimate guarantee for peasants’ lives,which seriously affects the steady development of the peasantry.In despite of efforts in establishing security system for peasants in recent years,there is still great difference between social security system for the peasantry and other occupations in coverage and minimum security amount.For example,minimum living allowance for rural elders per month takes up only a fraction of urban population.So,it is necessary to involve the peasantry in the refined social security system with other occupations on this basis to ensure the successful professionalization of the peasantry.And the worries of the peasantry as an occupation will be eliminated in this way.In addition,the refined social security system will match the land circulation system well,solving the risk of living security from losing land use right and keeping the development of the peasantry.

Ⅳ.Conclusion

The professionalization of the peasantry is an important measure to achieve agricultural modernization and solve the long-standing issue of countryside and peasantry in China,featuring specialization of the peasantry,scale management of agricultural production and integration with other occupations.However,current professionalization of Chinese peasantry is facing such problems as generally low quality of peasants,fragmentation of agricultural production and lack of normal and unified social security system.To solve these problems,a series of effective measures must be taken to ensure the successful professionalization of the peasantry.

(Translated by Dai Jiabao)

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Professionalization of Chinese peasantry is now facing such problems as generally low quality of peasants as a result of talents outflow,fragmentation of agricultural production and lack of normal and unified social security system.A series of effective measures should be taken to ensure the achievement of professionalization of the peasantry and agricultural modernization.

agricultural modernization;professionalization of the peasantry;peasantry;agriculture

About the author：Yan Xiaohuan(1981—),PhD,lecturer of College of Economics and Management,Northwest A&F University,engaged in the management of agricultural economy.

〔*〕This paper is the phased achievement of national natural science fund project “The Influence of Professionalization of the Peasantry on Implementation Path of Scale Operation of High-Value Agro-Products”(71403208) and research project of humanities and social sciences of Northwest A&F University “Study on Scale Operation of High-Value Agro-Products from the Perspective of the Professionalization of the Peasantry”(2014RWYB04).