The central government agreed to support the high-quality development of Yangling agricultural high-tech industrial demonstration zone in Northwest China’s Shaanxi province, according to a State Council reply to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), and the people’s government of Shaanxi province on Nov 5.

Yangling demonstration zone is set to be a core zone for leading agricultural innovations in arid and semi-arid regions, and a leading zone for reviving rural areas and developing featured agriculture by 2025, said the reply.

The central government supports the demonstration zone to build a national scientific research platform for agricultural tech innovation in arid and semi-arid regions, participate in national major science and tech projects, and encourages local enterprises, universities and scientific research institutions to attract more overseas talent.

The region will also be a pilot zone for agriculture-related and financial innovation reform. For agriculture-related reform, a national service institution for promoting agricultural standardization will be built.

To promote financial innovation reform, the government approved commercial banks in the region to carry out agricultural financial services, and explore new loan businesses with large agricultural machines, production facilities and agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing resources as collateral.

The reply also urged the demonstration zone to integrate the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, and explore establishing a training system for vocational farmers. It also encouraged the zone to expand international communications in agriculture, and to get involved in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The ministry and the people’s government of Shaanxi province should play a leading role in developing the zone, and it encouraged the local government to release more supporting measures for the zone’s high-quality development.