China plans to become a major world power in agricultural science and technology by 2020, the country's Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin said Thursday.

Addressing a national conference on agricultural science and technology, Du said by 2020, science and technology will contribute 63 percent of the growth in the agricultural sector, 15 percent more than it does now.

China still has a long way to go to catch up with the United States, where technical advancements account for 81 percent of the growth in agriculture, and 85 percent of agricultural technologies are actually applied to agricultural production, he said.

To achieve this goal, the minister said China will focus its efforts on five areas.

The first is to maintain its edge in super rice, genetically-modified anti-worm cotton, and the development of new breeds.

The second is to develop core technologies in the production of safe farm products, the prevention and control of agricultural disasters, the processing of farm products and improving the ecological environment.

The third is to manufacture its own critical agricultural equipment so that the country will depend less on imports.

China will also strengthen its research in agricultural high technologies and the industrial application of such technologies, with the aim of obtaining some innovative and internationally-advanced technologies, Du said.

The country will nurture a number of agricultural research institutions and colleges, and corporate research centers that are globally competitive, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2006)