During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), Hechi city's Tian'e county – in China's southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region – reportedly made great progress in boosting its agricultural development and promoting the sustained, healthy and coordinated expansion of its rural economy.

According to statistics, the area given over to grain cultivation covered 217,200 mu (14,480 hectares), completing 100.08 percent of the set target by the end of 2020. In addition, the county established mulberry orchards covering an area of 14,000 mu, completing 102 percent of the planning task, while the output from silkworm cocoons reached 4,600 metric tons.

Over the past five years, the county established 10 agricultural demonstration bases, driving growth of the region's overall industrial scale that brought with it associated benefits.

Meanwhile, the county has developed large planting and breeding establishments by giving preferential support in terms of funds and land, as well as created industrial unions by sharing benefits and risks.

In addition, measures to make rural areas more green and beautiful – as well as to improve the rural living environment, upgrade infrastructure and boost industrial development – were also carried out in Tian'e county.

During the past? five years, Tian'e county's bureau of agriculture and rural affairs has invested 71.1 million yuan ($11 million). It has completed its task of establishing 45,000 mu of high-quality farmland and developed 12,000 mu of high-efficiency water-saving irrigation.

The bureau also offered 6.87 million yuan in subsidies for raising livestock and poultry, agricultural processing and agricultural equipment purchases, benefiting 5,295 households.

In addition, the bureau developed information infrastructure in rural areas, enabling farmers to better access convenient information services in their villages.

A dramatic aerial view of an agricultural demonstration base in Tian'e county. [Photo/Hechi Daily]