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As the effects of drought mitigation become increasingly apparent, and thanks to the beneficial impact of rainfall in various regions, the drought situation in China’s main wheat-growing areas has significantly improved, and spring plowing and preparation activities are underway across the country. Looking at the overall situation of this year’s spring plowing and preparation work, the theme of combating drought and ensuring grain supplies is very prominent. Workers and officials in the agricultural supply sector across various regions, especially in those areas where winter wheat cultivation is affected by severe drought, have worked together to put into practice the spirit of the Central Government’s No. 1 Document through concrete actions. Unlike in previous years, since last winter, major grain-producing regions such as Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Anhui, Shandong, Jiangsu, Gansu, and Hebei have suffered from severe drought. Combating the drought and protecting crops in order to ensure a good harvest of summer grains has become the top priority for governments, enterprises, and financial institutions in these areas in terms of economic efforts. Since the beginning of this year, thanks to the efforts made in various regions, initial progress has been made in combating drought. The area affected by drought in wheat fields has decreased significantly, and the fields have regained their vitality. Farmers are carrying out tasks such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, and spraying pesticides, and spring plowing preparations are proceeding in an orderly manner across the country. Protecting spring plowing: **Ensuring protection** During the drought period, various provinces declared that it was absolutely necessary to prevent the drought from turning into a disaster; they mobilized all available resources in an effort to ensure a good wheat harvest despite the difficult circumstances. Shaanxi Province urgently allocated 10 million yuan directly to the counties, and carried out artificial rainfall enhancement operations on multiple occasions. Since last winter, a total of 9.06 million mu of land has been irrigated to combat drought, with 160 million yuan invested in efforts to address drought and reduce its impacts; thus, the rapid progression of the drought situation has been brought under control ； Anhui Province has clearly outlined measures such as a combined approach of water and fertilizer supply to combat drought and protect seedlings; the province has also introduced a policy to provide 50,000 tons of fertilizer for disaster relief purposes in order to help combat drought and protect seedlings, and adequate support has been provided in terms of railway transportation. Meanwhile, agricultural departments at all levels in Hunan have stepped up the allocation of agricultural supplies and established additional service outlets to bring benefits to the people. While focusing on drought relief, efforts are also made to strengthen supervision; various regions have enhanced the quality monitoring of agricultural inputs, launched special campaigns to combat counterfeiting in this sector, and carried out thorough inspections to ensure that farmers have access to high-quality and affordable fertilizers and pesticides. Supporting spring plowing: The role of agricultural inputs As important means for agricultural production, the production and supply of fertilizers, pesticides, and diesel play a crucial role in spring plowing activities. Since last winter, many fertilizer and pesticide manufacturers have taken early action by preparing in advance and stockpiling agricultural inputs such as fertilizers to supply the market during this year’s spring plowing season. Since the onset of spring, more fertilizer and diesel production enterprises have operated at full capacity to accelerate production and meet the needs of spring farming. According to statistics, by the end of January this year, agricultural input companies in Shanxi Province had secured 400,000 tons of reserves of urea, phosphate nitrogen fertilizer, compound fertilizer, ammonium carbonate, and phosphate fertilizers – an increase of 80,000 tons compared to the same period last year, representing a growth rate of 20%. More than 30 nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers in Jiangsu Province have fully resumed production, ensuring an adequate supply of fertilizers for spring plowing. Gansu Petroleum Sales Company promptly shifted the focus of its business operations to supporting the province’s efforts to combat drought and ensure successful spring plowing, implementing various measures to meet the farmers’ oil needs during this period. Fertilizer manufacturers in Hebei are also operating at full capacity; Cangzhou Dahuahua Group produced 46,000 tons of fertilizer in January, while Hebei Dongguang Fertilizer Co., Ltd. generates over 800 tons of output per day. At the beginning of this year, following the marketization reform of fertilizers, sales prices became a major concern for farmers. Judging from the sales situation in fertilizer markets across the country, although the preparation of fertilizers for spring plowing started later this year than in previous years, the production of fertilizers was high and sufficient reserves were available, which as a whole can meet the demand for fertilizers during spring plowing; thus, the basic situation regarding fertilizer supply for spring plowing remains unchanged. Price regulation agencies at all levels have intensified special inspections on the distribution prices of fertilizers, resulting in a reduction in the intermediate stages in fertilizer sales. During the spring plowing season, fertilizer prices across the country will remain stable, with no significant increases. Protecting spring plowing: Technology brought to farmers’ homes. In accordance with the plans set by the Ministry of Agriculture, agricultural departments at all levels are actively promoting scientific approaches to drought mitigation and spring field management. Gansu Province has actively responded to the worsening drought by implementing scientific and technological measures to combat it, with early spring mulching being a key approach; this method helps retain soil moisture and reduce the damage caused by the drought. Provinces such as Shandong and Henan have sent agricultural service teams to the fields to conduct soil tests on the drought-affected farmland, and developed scientific methods for irrigation and fertilization that are then shared with distributors and large-scale grain growers. In addition to the 8 key grain-producing regions, areas such as Jiangxi and Liaoning have also stepped up spring field management, focusing on boosting plant growth and promoting early development, as well as preventing diseases to ensure stable yields. Supporting spring plowing: Financial assistance To stabilize grain production, various regions have increased subsidies for agricultural inputs and established \"green channels\" for credit; proactive financial policies have provided strong support for preparing fertilizers for spring plowing. The Finance Department of Shaanxi Province allocated 2.1 billion yuan urgently to assist grain farmers in coping with drought and ensuring spring planting activities; this funds were distributed directly to the grain farmers within one month through the “Yizhetong” system. Henan Province has mandated that the 7.775 billion yuan in direct grain subsidies and comprehensive agricultural input subsidies allocated to the province by the Ministry of Finance be disbursed by March 15, one month earlier than last year, and these funds are delivered to farmers through the \"One-Card System\" or \"Integrated Card System\". In 2009, Heilongjiang allocated 2.22 billion yuan in financial funds for agricultural production, marking the year with the strongest support for agriculture through policy measures in recent years.