On March 16, Peng Qinghua, Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, visited provincial scientific research institutes for investigation, and chaired and addressed a related symposium. He called for study and implementation of the significant remarks of General Secretary Xi Jinping on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers; comprehensive implementation of the plans and requirements put forward at rural work conferences of CPC Central Committee and CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee; more efforts to promote independent innovation and provide satisfying services in agricultural science and technology and improve farmers' scientific and technological quality; tackling of weaknesses in agricultural development. As a result, they can better contribute to agricultural modernization in Sichuan.

　　Deng Xiaogang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, participated in the investigation and attended the symposium.

　　Peng visited and talked to researchers at Shahebao Experiment Center of Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Sichuan Animal Science Academy (SASA), and Biotechnology and Nuclear Technology Research Institute of Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS). He asked them about the progress in the protection of forest and grass germplasm resources and genetic breeding, scientific and technological innovation in the livestock, poultry, andseed industries, and breeding of crops. Next, Peng chaired a symposium at SAAS, reviewing the reports on the implementation of guiding principles of central and provincial rural work conferences as well as progress in the innovation of agricultural science and technology, from leaders of SAAS, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, SASA, Sichuan Academy of Grassland Sciences, and Sichuan Machinery Research & Design Institute.

　　Peng praised the performances of the province's agro-relatedscientific research units in making breakthroughs, promoting technologies, and transforming achievements. He pointed out that innovation in agricultural science and technology is the foundation and support of agricultural modernization. The CPC Central Committee highly valued scientific and technological innovation in the agricultural sector. The central economic working conference, central rural work conference, and the Two Sessions have clarified relevant requirements, while the national 14th Five-Year Plan and Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 set out systematic plans. Sichuan features rich agricultural scientific and technological resources and innovation in this field is an advantageous lever of the province's innovation-driven development. Althoughbeing competitive in the agricultural industry, the province has some prominent problems related to agricultural scientific and technological innovation, which need to be effectively addressed. All agro-relatedscientific research units in Sichuan are required to thoroughly understand decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee on self-reliance and self-improvement in agricultural science and technology; put into action plans and demands of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee on serving agriculture, rural areas, and farmers with technologies; play respective professional strengthsbased on their functions and responsibilities to promote Sichuan from a province competitive in the agriculture industry to an agricultural powerhouse.

　　According to Peng, these units should focus on breaking through technological bottlenecks and succeed in the seed industry. They need to better protect and utilize "Sichuan seeds", speed up the resource survey and rescue-oriented investigation, build a high-standard provincial germplasm resource central bank, and conduct germplasm enhancement around Sichuan's special advantageous species. They also are encouraged to vigorously train leading figures, step up efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies, carry out the "best candidate selection" mechanism, and strengthen cutting-edge basic research. Brands of "Sichuan seeds" with independent intellectual property rights should be developed, and the focus should be placed on building a modern seed industry system integrating cultivation, breeding, and promotion. At the same time, these units need to boost the standardized and regulated construction of seed industrial bases, setting up several bases for breeding and planting crops with regional characteristics and improving the capability to supply good seeds. To create a sound environment for the development of the seed industry, they are required to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights in the seed industry and build systems to trace the quality of seeds and seedlings.

　　Peng said that the units have to ensure that modern agricultural equipment adapts to the farming conditions in Sichuan. With a focus on breaking through technological bottlenecks, they have to carry out projects for agricultural mechanization and information technology innovation, make greater efforts in R&D of agricultural machinery that can be used in hilly and mountainous areas, and catalyze the promotion and application of urgently-needed equipment. They should extensively use information technologies, improving the digital level of agricultural equipment and developing smart agriculture. While putting into practice the new round of policies to subsidize agricultural machinery purchase, these units will launch an action to realize full-process mechanization technology integration, which is led by the integration of good seeds, lands, and machinery, and effective methods and mechanisms. They also have to intensify cooperation to speed up the development of the modern agricultural equipment industry.

　　Peng noted that there is a need to improve scientific and technological services and the quality and efficiency of agricultural development. Taking farmers' needs and competitive industries, development goals, and highlighted weaknesses of different regions into consideration, theunits should assign special scientific and technological commissioners to provide services on scientific and technological entrepreneurship and technologies. As a result, farmers can have the best crops, livestock and poultry with the best technologies. They also are expected to improve the promotion systems of agricultural scientific and technological services, upgrade functions of the "SichuanScience and Technology Poverty Alleviation Online" platform, and bring technologies into rural areas. Additionally, they should step up efforts to promote knowledge on agricultural science and technology and improve farmers' understanding and application of related information.

　　Peng emphasized that the province would actively create a sound environment for researchers, allowing them to devote themselves to research. In response to that, relevant Sichuan provincial departments are demanded to better care about and support agricultural researchers, deepen reform of scientific and technological systems, grant the ownership or long-term use right of scientific and technological achievements to scientific researchers made by them while holding positions, optimize evaluation systems and incentive mechanisms matching the features of basic research, and give researchers more freedombut reduce their burden. Researchers, meanwhile, should try to develop cutting-edge technologies that can be used to address problems in the economic sector, meet the country's major needs, and improve people's health. They are encouraged to carry forward the spirit of scientists and maintain good behaviors and a good style of study and write papers that can practically solve problems. As a result, the researcherswill achieve more and greater achievements in agricultural science and technology and talent training, and make more breakthroughs in core and key technologies.

　　Other participants included provincial leaders Wang Yihong, Yao Sidan, Cao Lijun, and Qumu Shiha, as well as heads of relevant provincial departments.