For a country in which nearly half the population lives in rural areas, agriculture is indeed seen as a priority in China. The number one Central Document every year is about agriculture, and that document is being drawn up at the Central Rural Work Conference in the Chinese capital Beijing. The conference maps out the nation's rural work plans annually. 

This year, Chinese authorities outlined major tasks and targets for the national rural vitalization strategy as they seek to address issues related to agriculture and rural living.

By 2020, the vitalization strategy should have achieved significant progress and an institutional framework and policy system should have been formed, according to a statement released Friday after the Central Rural Work Conference.

By 2035, China aims for "decisive" progress in the plan, with basic modernization of agriculture and rural areas. By 2050, the rural areas should see all-around vitalization, featuring strong agriculture, a beautiful countryside and well-off farmers, the statement said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the meeting.

China has lifted more than 60 million people out of poverty in the past five years, with the poverty rate dropping from 10.2 percent to less than 4 percent. As of the end of 2016, there were 43.35 million Chinese living below the national poverty line.

Despite sound progress in agricultural and rural work, China still faces a development gap between its urban and rural regions due to lack of quality and efficiency in agriculture and unsustained growth of farmers' income.

To bolster farmers' income, land ownership reform remains a priority at this year's Central Rural Work Conference. 

The government aims to clarify land rights in three aspects – the rights to ownership, contract and management. For rural lands that are collectively owned, farmers have the rights to contract and management – rights that couldn't be separated before the reform. Under the new rules, the rights to land contract and management are divided, which allows farmers to transfer the management rights to others, creating new ways to raise their income. It's estimated that over 80 percent of collectively-owned rural lands had been certificated and registered as of last month. 

"Economic development has attracted many farmers ... The farmers who own the land will get the lease income, so you know all those policies will help," Li Yong, a current affairs commentator, told CGTN.  

It's estimated that the average income of each farmer this year surpassed 2,000 US dollars, a record high. The figure represents a 50 percent increase from five years ago.