Shanghai Plans 50 New Liveable Rural Communities by 2030

Shanghai plans to develop at least 50 rural communities into attractive, liveable places by 2030, under a new action plan aimed at modernizing agriculture and rural areas during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

The plan seeks to build a modern agricultural sector that can grow alongside the city's urban development, while improving living and working conditions in rural areas, officials said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Shanghai's countryside is expected to set an example of how a megacity can balance urban growth with sustainable agriculture and rural development. A key priority will be using technology and innovation to drive the future of agriculture, said Liu Jian, deputy director of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission.

"Agricultural science and technology innovation is an important part of Shanghai's ambition to become a global hub for scientific and technological innovation," Liu said.

"We will focus on breakthroughs in areas such as new crop varieties, agricultural biotechnology and smart farming, while accelerating the modernisation of the agricultural sector."

Feng Zhiyong, director of the Shanghai Agricultural and Rural Affairs Commission, said Shanghai will soon introduce reforms to its agricultural science and technology system to strengthen research collaboration and accelerate innovation in the sector.