Shandong has been ramping up efforts to promote the coordinated development between rural and urban areas, advance rural vitalization on all fronts and build a "Shandong model" for rural development.

After five years of continuous hard work, Shandong has made great achievements in agricultural and rural development.

Farmers harvest tomatoes at a modern plantation base in Shandong province. [Photo/Dazhong News]

In 2021, the province's total grain output exceeded 55 million metric tons, and the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery exceeded 1 trillion yuan ($157 billion).

Last year, the added value of the primary industry in Shandong reached 602.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.5 percent, ranking first in China. Agricultural exports totaled 123.84 billion yuan, accounting for 22.7 percent of China's agricultural exports for the 23rd year in a row. The contribution rate of agricultural science and technology progress in the province reached 65.81 percent, and the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents increased by 38.4 percent and 49 percent, respectively.

People celebrate the Farmers' Harvest Festival in Tengzhou, Shandong province. The annual festival started in 2018 and it falls on the same day as the Autumnal Equinox each year, which is one of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. [Photo/Dazhong News]

Over the past five years, Shandong has firmly shouldered the responsibility as a major agricultural province, and boldly explored and actively promoted the vitalization of rural industry, talent, culture, ecology and organization in a healthy and orderly manner. Efforts to improve people's lives and promote common prosperity have yielded significant phased results in the development of a model for rural vitalization.