Nowadays, more than 1,000 counties (cities, districts, and banners) in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China have conducted scientific and technological commissioner work, directly serving more than nine million farmers in 40,000 villages, with the total number of the commissioners reaching 45,000, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (MOST).

The scientific and technological commissioners' mechanism originated in Nanping, southeast China's Fujian Province. It has become a new scientific and technological service model for rural areas in recent years. This model has gained profound achievements since it conforms to the development law of the marketing economy, as well as effectively meets the practical requirements of the farmers, said officials attending the "Experience Exchanging Meeting of the National Scientific and Technological Commissioners" held in Shandong Province. The "meeting" was co-organized by the MOST, the Ministry of Personnel of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China.

It is reported that both the number of the commissioners and the service scope have been expanding. Other accomplishments include: transforming and promoting advanced and applicable skills and results, contributing to the economic development of agriculture and rural areas; greatly increasing the scientific and technological and cultural qualities of farmers through training classes; developing regional characteristics and dominant enterprises, while fostering the leading enterprises in agricultural industrialization cause; exploring new mechanisms for scientific and technological services in rural areas under the market economy, and establishing new service models consistent with the agricultural development within the new time period.

Wan Gang, the minister of MOST, emphasized four points for the commissioners' future work. First, the scientific and technological service system in rural areas should be continuously modified and diversified. Second, commissioner mechanisms should be stated as an important aspect in scientific and technological service systems in rural areas. Third, the operational mechanisms and service models for scientific and technological commissioner work should be further innovated and improved under a favorable policy environment. Finally, the commissioners' service fields should be broadened, and the effects of the scientific and technological service systems should be actively exploited when implementing new rural areas construction.

(China Development Gateway by Sun Wan December 10, 2007)