China launches website for farmers

BEIJING, CHINA: China has launched a website that will help grassroots organisations promoting innovative agricultural technologies among farmers.

Currently, 133,000 such organisations with 11 million members operate in China. The website containing information on various agricultural technology was launched on Sunday.

These organisations remain a key front for providing services to farmers and improving people's livelihood in the rural areas, Xu Yanhao, an official with China Association for Science and Technology, said at a meeting of 300 rural technology experts Sunday.

The China Rural Special Technique Association (CRSTA), a forum for rural experts, said over the past five years it has strived to make new technologies comprehensible and applicable for farmers.

CRSTA has helped farmers set up more efficient supply chains with market, said Zhai Xiaobin, the organisation's executive deputy director.

China has spent 1.5 billion yuan (about $167 million) since 2006 to reward organisations providing agricultural technology support in the rural areas.