Xifeng county enhances agricultural collaboration to power rural vitalization

Xifeng county is unlocking new momentum for rural vitalization by harnessing its mountainous resources to develop high-efficiency, modern agriculture. Through a coordinated push across the vegetable, fruit, and livestock sectors, the county is achieving breakthroughs in its "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" development strategy.

In the first quarter this year, the county's total agricultural output – spanning farming, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries – reached 858 million yuan ($119.3 million), a year-on-year increase of 3.4 percent, as rural per capita disposable income climbed to 5,471 yuan, up 6.3 percent from the same period last year.

The county's annual planting area of vegetable cultivation consistently remains around 300,000 mu (20,000 hectares), and yearly production exceeds 500,000 metric tons. In addition to meeting local demand, Xifeng's vegetables are also supplied to major markets in Chongqing and Guangdong.

In Xifeng's designated park within Guiyang's 25,000-mu high-standard vegetable supply base, 4,000 mu of modern greenhouses are producing high-quality vegetables like peppers and tomatoes. Equipped with Internet of Things environmental control systems and integrated water-fertilizer facilities, staff members can remotely manage irrigation, ventilation, and climate adjustments. This technology enables seasonal adaptability, maintaining warmth in winter, shielding against rain in spring, and reducing heat stress in summer.

Vegetables at a modern greenhouse in Xifeng. [Photo/xifeng.gov.cn]

"Off-season planting ensures staggered market entry, which not only increases yield per unit area but also significantly improves vegetable quality," noted the park's manager.

In 2024, the park generated income for 6,408 people and distributed 12.83 million yuan in dividends. Villagers benefited from employment opportunities and land leasing, which enabled them to achieve steady incomes close to home.

Fruit cultivation has also thrived. Xifeng has emerged as a provincial leader with 31,200 mu of grapes and 23,800 mu of kiwifruit under cultivation. In 2025, the county will focus on upgrades, rain shelter installations, and water-fertilizer integration projects. The goal is to stabilize the fruit-picking area above 130,000 mu and achieve an annual fruit output of 120,000 tons.

Xifeng's poultry sector has been designated a key provincial-level agricultural demonstration zone and a core component of Guiyang's initiative to raise tens of millions of meat-producing birds. In 2024, the county sold 11.79 million chickens and 76,200 pigs, resulting in an output of 26,700 tons. This sector also created over 5,000 jobs for local villagers.