Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park

Summary

The Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park was created to develop environmentally friendly agriculture and agritainment tourism in Guangyuan city. The project offers training and job opportunities along the value chain so that residents can sustainably increase their incomes while preserving the environment. Per capita income rose substantially in the areas that were involved with the project, including Wuzhi village, where all 103 residents lifted themselves out of poverty.

Challenge/Problem

Jiange county, located in the northern Sichuan basin area, is known as both the shield of northern Sichuan and the throat of eastern and western Sichuan. The terrain is very diverse, ranging from plains to mountains, and Jiange has long suffered from a poor transportation system because infrastructure has been difficult to construct.

Agricultural undertakings in Jiange tended to be inefficient, and their success depended heavily on the weather. Jiange’s arable land is mostly confined to scattered mountainous areas that are small and difficult to irrigate. Farmers generally followed traditional methods, relying on nature for nutrients and fertilizer. The county was also heavily affected by the powerful 2008 Sichuan earthquake, during which many lives were lost.

In Jiange, incomes have often plateaued at a low level, and many of the residents of Jiange’s villages lived in poverty. When the program began in 2015, 163 villages, 97,303 people in 32,942 households in the county were impoverished; the poverty rate stood at 16.3 per cent.

Jiange was in need of poverty reduction, sustainable development, environmental protection, higher-value production and a better transportation system.

Solution

Jiange developed a model for using new farming techniques and technologies to enhance productivity, utilize resources more efficiently, create jobs, reduce poverty and encourage biodiversity. These interventions also promote food security by making more nutritious, high-quality food available.

In early 2015, Jiange selected five villages in Yandian town to participate in the construction of the Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park, a project that integrates agriculture, community development, tourism and the environment. Vegetable, fruit and herb cultivation bases were established that feature enhanced varieties not grown in the area before, and a proper branding for the activities of the park was developed. Arrangements were reached with logistics companies to ensure fresh deliveries and improve market access via a complete delivery chain. A business model was created that integrates the base’s farm products with processing and cold chain logistics.

Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park was also designed to create more jobs. Local enterprises were invited to establish facilities in the park, and laborers were hired for construction, farming, maintenance and other duties, enabling more Jiange natives to work near their homes. The park has also worked with villages in the county to provide training programs. In 2016, a total of 400,000 yuan (US$57,554) was paid to employees whose households lived in poverty; the employees earned an average of 2,050 yuan (US$295) each.

Efforts have also been made to convert the chosen villages into recreational areas and tourism destinations. The park has promoted the integration of leisure agriculture and rural tourism. Peach orchards, organic vegetable experience farms and farming experience zones have been created. Tourism hubs, 15 scenic areas, such as the Taohua Valley Sightseeing Platform, two rural hotels, and 20 star-level homestays have been created and developed in Yanyian town.

Regions that want to reduce poverty by engaging in sustainable, modern agriculture may be able to benefit from Jiange’s model.

Results

Participants increased their incomes. The Wuzhi Green Agriculture Park developed a special urbanization path for nearby areas that created opportunities for people to increase their incomes and work near their homes. In 2018, more than 100 people living in poverty became employed, and the annual incomes of households in poverty increased by 15,000 yuan (US$2,162).                                

The initiative created jobs and provided skills training, the most effective way for people to lift themselves out of poverty. The park and the village committees jointly organized night classes, hiring teachers and agricultural technicians from nearby vocational schools. The initiative provided 826 people with practical skills training and 385 people with crop and livestock farming training. In addition, 57 rural tourism experts and 15 logistics drivers were trained.

Wuzhi village became more environmentally friendly. The development of the sustainable Green Agriculture Park markedly improved the area’s transportation system and water conservancy infrastructure. Villages involved in the project are becoming more livable, mountains are becoming greener, and the water in the area is becoming clearer.

Jiange gained experience in new methods of rural reform and green agriculture. Its model is being implemented elsewhere in the county.

Lessons Learned/Potential for Replication

Green development and environmental protection should be prioritized when boosting the economy. Green agriculture prevents excessive exploitation of the environment for economic gain, prioritizes long-term development and encourages sustainability. The Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park promotes healthy lifestyles and exemplifies how harmony between the economy and the environment can lead to sustainable development.

Consolidating resources helps maximize their effectiveness, and new techniques and technologies improve agricultural efficiency and enable adaptation to the modern market. Efforts have also made to explore ways to develop traditional local methods.

Remarkable achievements have been made at the Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park. Officials in Jiange are working to verify its replicability and have chosen three more villages in which to implement parts of the project. The model works best in areas that are near both mountains and rivers. Territories that implement it should have flat terrain, sufficient land, convenient transportation systems and plenty of water resources.

Next Steps

Efforts are being made to continue developing health and wellness tourism in the area, in conjunction with other projects at the township and municipal levels. A AAAA-rated tourism park will be created at Wuzhishan Green Agriculture Park in order to highlight new agricultural projects as well as showcase the natural beauty of the area.