Photo shows Sujia Village in Jiangning District of Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, April 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Han Yuqing)

NANJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for efforts to promote innovation and enhance the entrepreneurial environment in rural areas while injecting a new impetus into rural development to facilitate employment and income growth among farmers.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in an instruction delivered to a conference on innovation and entrepreneurship for new farmers and fresh business patterns, which kicked off Thursday in Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu Province.

Innovation and entrepreneurship in rural areas have played a vital role in winning China's battle against poverty and promoting the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, said Li.

The premier called for efforts to streamline government administration, enhance services as well as encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation to bring back talent to rural areas, and encourage farmers to start their own businesses or find jobs near their homes.

More efforts are needed to foster new development impetus in rural areas, improve farmers' livelihood, and provide stronger support for agriculture and rural modernization, said Li.