A Year of Progress in Agricultural Innovation

　　Over the past year, Nan’an has strategically advanced its agricultural and food security initiatives, reinforcing grain production, expanding diverse food resources, and fostering new drivers of agricultural growth. The city has crafted a development model that ensures thriving farmers, reassured consumers, and ecological harmony.

　　Strengthening Food Security

　　Ensuring Stable and Sustainable Harvests

　　At a high-tech rice seedling cultivation base in Gongzhan Village, Matou Town, an automated production line operates continuously, completing over 2,000 trays of rice seedlings in just two hours. “By mid-March, we will begin mechanized transplanting, ensuring a fully automated rice production process that lowers costs while enhancing seedling quality,” said Dai Zizhong, head of the cooperative.

　　Nan’an has made significant strides in agricultural modernization, establishing four centralized rice seedling bases and deploying five automated production lines. With nine specialized service organizations supporting seedling cultivation, mechanized planting, and pest control, more than 20,000 acres of farmland now benefit from these advanced agricultural services. The mechanization rate for major crops has reached 78.33%.

　　Since last year, Nan’an has focused on stabilizing farmland and improving yields through four key strategies: farmland development, technological innovation, quality enhancement, and efficient harvesting. The city has formed an expert service team for spring farming, conducting training programs that have benefited 624 farmers through 12 specialized rice-farming workshops. Additionally, Nan’an has allocated RMB 1.1 million for high-quality rice seed procurement and invested in agricultural research facilities, including seed preservation centers and experimental breeding sites. These efforts have resulted in the development of premium rice varieties, such as “Donglian No. 5,” while promoting eco-friendly farming models like rice-fish symbiosis and crop rotation. To enhance food security, Nan’an has also introduced a farmland grid management system and launched the Nan’an Farmland Monitoring Platform.

　　Expanding Diverse Food Resources

　　Harnessing Land and Sea for Agricultural Growth

　　Nan’an’s diverse landscape, spanning from mountains to coastal waters, supports a multi-faceted food production system. In Shijing Town, “marine ranching” has expanded, boosting seaweed and oyster harvesting. Xiangyang Township has strengthened its under-forest economy with the cultivation of medicinal herbs like Dendrobium, Anoectochilus, and Ganoderma. Meanwhile, Matou Town has modernized its edible mushroom industry, reaching an annual production of over 20,000 tons.

　　To maximize forest resources, Nan’an has embraced sustainable forestry practices, incorporating technological advancements and product innovation. The city has launched a series of eco-friendly forest-based food products, including Yingshan bamboo shoots, Nan’an honey, and Wuhu camellia oil. It also supports five leading provincial forestry enterprises in expanding sustainable food production. Presently, Nan’an has cultivated 12,700 acres of oil tea plantations and utilizes approximately 590,000 acres for forest-based industries, generating an estimated RMB 1.3 billion in economic output in 2024.

　　Simultaneously, Nan’an is strengthening its Blue Granary Initiative by optimizing fisheries. This includes advancing factory-based aquaculture, trialing rice-fish integrated farming, and developing a new aquaculture processing park in the northern district. In 2024 alone, the city added 92 new aquaculture processing units and 11 production lines. The fisheries sector saw an 8.7% revenue increase, reaching RMB 516 million, while total aquatic product output grew by 6.13%, the highest in Quanzhou.

　　Nan’an’s agricultural sector has also gained national recognition, with 26 provincial-level leading agricultural enterprises, seven registered national geographical indication trademarks, and multiple high-standard product certifications.

　　Driving Agricultural Innovation

　　Advancing Technology for High-Quality Production

　　"In the past, we depended on imported juvenile fish for factory farming, which made us reliant on external suppliers. Now, we’ve overcome this bottleneck—our domestically bred mandarin fish juveniles have achieved a survival rate of over 95%," said the head of Quanzhou Fuze Ecological Agriculture Technology Co., showcasing the latest batch of successfully cultivated fish.

　　This breakthrough in fish breeding reflects Nan’an’s commitment to agricultural innovation. By integrating expertise from research institutions and technology specialists, the city has established a strong innovation ecosystem. Nan’an is now home to 30 agricultural innovation hubs, including two at the national level and seven at the provincial level—leading Quanzhou in both quantity and impact.

　　Since 2024, Nan’an has launched 20 agricultural technology projects, investing RMB 1.6 million in research areas such as sustainable farming, pest control, and aquaculture advancements. Notable initiatives include “Efficient Cultivation Techniques for Arrowroot,” which has received funding under Quanzhou’s science and technology programs, while five other projects, including “Eco-Friendly Factory Farming of Mandarin Fish,” have been approved under provincial research initiatives.

　　Through strategic investments in technology, diverse food resources, and sustainable practices, Nan’an is setting a benchmark for modern agriculture—balancing economic growth, food security, and environmental sustainability.

　　(By Lin Jing, Huang Zhaowei, Yin Jun, Lin Jindian)