China's fourth national agricultural census, a major decennial survey of national conditions and strength, has been fully carried out, with all provinces launching comprehensive pilot programs that feature new content and innovative methods.

The fourth census will cover agricultural production conditions, grain and major food production, new quality productive forces in agriculture, rural development and rural residents' living conditions -- one that directly affects both the national economy and people's livelihoods in the countryside.

Over the past decade, China's comprehensive agricultural production capacity has further stepped up. Achievements in poverty alleviation have been continuously consolidated and expanded, the living standards of rural residents have notably improved, and solid progress has been made in advancing rural revitalization on all fronts.

Experts said that conducting the agricultural census as scheduled will provide critical data support for the precise implementation of China's policies at the grassroots level.

"The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outlines that by 2030, China's comprehensive grain production capacity is projected to reach 725 billion kilograms. Carrying out the agricultural census on schedule will provide accurate statistical support for scientific formulation of policies on agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents, advancing comprehensive rural revitalization, accelerating agricultural and rural modernization, and building up China's strength in agriculture," said Meng Xiaoxian, director of rural economic research division at the National Bureau of Statistics' rural surveys department.

Compared with the third national agricultural census conducted in 2016, China's agricultural and rural development has undergone significant changes. So the fourth census will look into new developments, including the diversification of food supply, new quality productive forces in agriculture, and the building of beautiful and harmonious villages and towns for people to live and work in.

"For example, we have added items on the census form about the use of information technology (IT) equipment for agricultural production, including integrated water and fertilizer systems, pest control and field monitoring, as well as soil moisture monitoring. We have also added indicators reflecting the development of rural infrastructure such as the availability of charging stations for new energy vehicles (NEVs) and the state of rural cultural development," Meng said.

To improve the data quality and work efficiency, this census also introduces methodological innovations.

For the first time, the census adopts a hybrid approach that combines full-coverage enumeration with sampling surveys. Short-form questionnaires, which contain only a few core questions, are used alongside longer, more detailed forms, and 90 percent of respondents are required to fill out only the short form.

In addition to a more scientific and efficient census methodology, this agricultural census has also stepped up its digital empowerment through enhanced technological tools.

"This census uses new technologies more intensely. We have employed satellite remote sensing and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to survey the sown area of major crops and the application and development status of facility agriculture, thereby improving the quality of census data and work efficiency," Meng said.