WUHAN -- Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong has called for effective efforts in agriculture, farmer support and rural development to secure a bumper grain harvest for the whole of 2024.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an investigation and research tour of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality and Central China's Hubei province from Monday to Thursday.

During the tour, Liu underscored the importance of advancing the autumn harvest, calling for the adequate supply of agricultural materials and steady cultivation of high-quality farmland.

It is also crucial to better connect farm produce production and sales in rural areas, and develop rural industries tailored to local conditions to help farmers increase incomes, he said.

Liu also visited the Three Gorges project, observing its operations and learning about local geological disaster prevention efforts in the reservoir area. He urged relevant authorities to integrate digital and smart technologies into their management to maximize the project's roles in flood prevention, power generation, shipping and water conservancy.

Work should also be done to identify geological risks and leverage modern monitoring technologies to ensure the safe and sound operations of the project, Liu added.