Chinese Premier Awarded Agricola Medal

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) was awarded the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)'s Agricola Medal by FAO's General Director Jose Graziano da Silva at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Oct ober 2, 2012.

China, with 1.3 billion people, feeds 21 percent of the world's population on 9 percent of the world's arable land and 6 percent of the world's fresh water, China's grain output has been increasing for nine consecutive years, Graziano da Silva said. He appreciated the Chinese government's principle of giving top priority to agriculture, farmers and rural areas and also hailed China's efforts to carry out South-South cooperation in agricultural field and help other developing countries improve agricultural production.

Wen attributed the achievements of China's agricultural and rural development to the rural reform, the top priority given to agriculture and the principle of "industry supporting agriculture and cities supporting rural areas." He pledged at the ceremony that China will seek the steady growth of agricultural products and enable Chinese farmers to share the achievements of the country's economic development and social progress.

 See the news at http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-10/03/content_26695122.htm.