Thirty Years of Agricultural Transition in China (1977-2007) and the "New Rural Campaign"

Agriculture in China has experienced a compelling growth in the early 1980s, a buoyant upbeat in the early 1990s, and an extended period of low growth after 1995. Decollectivization, mar-ket reforms, public investments and technology have played a critical role during this overall successful process. However, the transition has also led to increasing inequalities between the agricultural and non-agricultural population, and substantial institutional issues remain to be fully addressed. The Chinese government is now reemphasizing agriculture and rural develop-ment under its New Rural Campaign with the objective to address rural-urban inequalities, but a stronger emphasis on participation and tenure reforms is warranted