After the expiration of the second round of rural contracted land, it will be extended for another 30 years

Securities Times Reporter He Jueyuan

Managing the relationship between farmers and land is the main focus of deepening rural reform in our country. On March 18, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Doing a Good Job in the Pilot Work of Extending the Second Round of Land Contracting by 30 Years” (hereinafter referred to as “Opinions”), which makes specific arrangements for the pilot work of extending the second round of land contracting by 30 years (hereinafter referred to as “extension pilot”). It clearly states that when the second round of land contracting contracts expire, the extension work should generally be completed within one year after the expiration.

To actively and prudently carry out the extension pilot work, since 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Central Rural Work Leading Group have guided relevant departments and provinces to gradually expand the scope of the pilot from villages and groups. In accordance with the deployment of the Party Central Committee, this year our country will carry out comprehensive provincial pilots in 29 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities).

The “Opinions” propose to uphold the collective ownership system unwaveringly, strictly prohibit breaking the boundaries of original collective land ownership and conducting equal contracting across the entire village, fully safeguard farmers’ collective rights to lease, adjust, supervise, and reclaim contracted land, and explore and enrich effective ways to realize rural land collective ownership. It emphasizes the importance of farmers as the main body, fully mobilizing farmers’ initiative and creativity, and encourages farmers’ collectives to explore specific paths and methods for extension within the scope of laws and policies.

The “Opinions” stress the importance of conducting the extension pilot work in a steady and orderly manner. Based on the results of rural land rights confirmation, registration, and certification, the extension of the land contract period by 30 years will start from the expiration of the second round of land contracting contracts. Extension will be carried out on a household basis to ensure that the vast majority of farmers’ original contracted land remains stable. Reversal or disruption of the original contract, illegal adjustments, or reclamation of farmers’ contracted land are not allowed. The principle of “large stability, small adjustments” will be maintained— for villages and groups with special circumstances such as damage due to natural disasters, where there is a widespread demand for land adjustment, small-scale appropriate adjustments can be made among individual farmers within the rural collective economic organizations, under the premise of “large stability.”

With the development of rural economy and society, conflicts involving rural contracted land exist to varying degrees in some areas. The “Opinions” clarify that the legitimate rights and interests of farmers who give up contracting rights or have no land in the second round of land contracting should be protected according to law, and reasonable demands of farmers facing difficulties due to land shortages should be properly addressed. It encourages resolving prominent conflicts through methods outside land, such as distribution of collective benefits, employment services, and placement in public welfare positions. Issues related to delaying land rights confirmation, registration, and certification will be handled properly in conjunction with the extension pilot.

To safeguard the land contracting rights of members of rural collective economic organizations, the “Opinions” specify that family members of contracted farmers who are members of the collective economic organization shall legally enjoy land contracting rights, and non-members of the collective economic organization shall not participate in the extension. The lawful land contracting rights of farmers who move to cities and settle down shall also be protected. Methods for voluntary and paid withdrawal of land contracting rights by farmers will be explored.

Developing moderate-scale operations is an important direction for agricultural modernization. To ensure stable land transfer and operation, the “Opinions” require that the legal rights and interests of both parties in land transfer be protected, the role of rural collective economic organizations be fully utilized, and, respecting farmers’ wishes, guiding both contracting parties and transferees to negotiate thoroughly and specify land lease renewal terms through contracts after extension, stabilizing the expectations of operating entities. Strengthening supervision of land transfer rights, discouraging large-scale and long-term land transfers, and resolutely preventing the “non-agriculturalization” of transferred land and effectively avoiding “non-grain” cultivation.

(Edited by: Wang Zhiqiang HF013)

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