Domestic and international academics and policy researchers have conducted extensive research on agricultural support systems (encompassing agricultural socialized service systems, agricultural product market systems, and national support and protection systems for agriculture). Research focuses primarily on learning from international experience, analyzing the structure and problems of domestic systems, and exploring the supporting roles of specific areas (such as science and technology, and finance).
Experiences and Lessons Learned from the Construction of International Agricultural Support and Protection Systems
As the foundation of the national economy, agriculture is characterized by vulnerability, externalities, and multifunctionality. Countries worldwide, especially developed countries, have provided strong support and protection for their agriculture, gradually establishing and improving support and protection systems suitable for their national agricultural and rural economic development. These countries have established highly innovative improved seed systems and agricultural science and technology innovation and application systems suitable for their national conditions. Examples include the US model combining agricultural research, education, and extension; Japan's model separating research, extension, and education into independent systems; and France's innovation system led by the National Agricultural Research Institute. Developed livestock countries in Europe and America have established rigorous animal and plant disease prevention and control systems, while developed countries such as the US, the EU, and Japan have formed scientifically designed agricultural product quality and safety management systems. The United States has established a comprehensive agricultural market system comprised of both futures and spot markets. Japan has built a "small-scale production, large-scale distribution" system centered on wholesale markets, while EU countries adhere to a distribution system centered on large-scale, public-service agricultural wholesale markets. Developed countries have established comprehensive and efficient agricultural information systems and formed effective mechanisms for agricultural resource and ecological protection. Agricultural technology extension systems mainly fall into three categories: those led by government extension agencies, those led by the government with the participation of agricultural universities, and those led by non-governmental organizations. Developed countries abroad have also established various subsidy policy systems, price support policy systems, income support policy systems, and risk protection policies to support and protect their agriculture.
The practices of foreign agricultural support service systems offer valuable lessons for my country. First, they started early. Since the 1930s, the US government has seized the crucial stage before large-scale agricultural development, providing substantial subsidies to agriculture and prioritizing the construction of support service systems. Second, they have legislative guarantees. Japan has enacted a series of laws to ensure the stability and continuity of its policies, and the US Agricultural Act clearly stipulates the detailed content of various agricultural support policies. Third, government investment should be the primary driver, and the construction of agricultural support service systems should be included in the scope of public goods, making the most of the WTO's "green box" policies. Fourth, support policies should be project-based, and project management should be open and transparent. Fifth, clearly defined implementing entities should be established; for example, the United States has clearly designated the Agricultural Credit Corporation as the implementing agency for federal agricultural subsidy policies. Sixth, a system with distinctive characteristics should be built based on national conditions.
