On the ridges between vast fields in Chongming District, unmanned agricultural machinery shuttles back and forth performing operations. In each greenhouse, integrated irrigation systems providing water and fertilizer take care of the vertical vegetable plantings.

In the fields of the district on the outskirts of Shanghai, seemingly ordinary spring plowing scenes incorporate the new power of agricultural science and technology innovation.

Chongming is the largest rural area in Shanghai and the continuous promotion of the world-class ecological island construction has set extremely strict ecological limits for the district.

The district proposes to build a “Yangtze River Delta Agricultural Silicon Valley” by focusing on the construction of the Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region. The new valley will focus on new quality productivity in the agricultural field, carrying out key technology research and development, and accelerating the process and the new path of ecological island construction.

The district Party committee and government have made it a focus of their high-quality development to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces.

With the strategic goal of constructing the Yangtze River Delta Agricultural Silicon Valley, Chongming coordinates the development of agriculture and rural areas throughout the district, concentrates agricultural science and technology innovation forces, and plans the overall layout of the “one core, one belt, two zones.”

‘One core, one belt, two zones’

“One core” refers to the core area of the Yangtze River Delta Agricultural Silicon Valley, including the Agricultural Silicon Valley Headquarters Park, Chongming Agricultural Seed Industry Innovation Center, Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Enterprise Incubation Park, Science and Technology Achievement Demonstration Park. The area is mainly responsible for attracting agricultural leading enterprises, the incubation of agricultural science and technology innovation enterprises, the display and transfer of scientific and technological achievements, and other functions.

“One belt” refers to several regions between Chenhai Highway and Chongming Avenue. Each township in Chongming selects areas with good industrial foundations and large-scale land transfer along the route, and vertically creates a group of high-tech agricultural development belts with concentrated innovative elements and industrial projects, providing industrial space for the implementation of scientific and technological achievements, and the increase of farmers’ incomes.

“Two zones” refers to the construction of the Chongming Modern Facility Agriculture Area, and the Chongming Modern Livestock and Poultry Breeding Area in the north of the island through centralized and contiguous transformation. They will include the construction of connected greenhouses and seedling equipment, the development of industrialized and three-dimensional breeding facilities, the application of technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, and the formation of a demonstration base for deep industrial integration.

“Technological innovation is of utmost importance for the development of modern agriculture,” said Miao Jing, Party secretary of Chongming. “The Yangtze River Delta Agricultural Silicon Valley is like an engine for the development of modern agriculture in Chongming.

“We hope to use this as a driving force to accelerate Chongming’s agriculture toward high technology, high quality and high added value.”

The unique soil, water, forests and air of Chongming creates exceptional agricultural products. At present, the island has eight trademarks with geographical signs, including Chongming white beans, Chongming crispy taro and Chongming golden melons, as well as four agricultural products with geographical names, including Chongming white goat and Chongming Shawutou pig.

Chongming model of green control

The Chongming model of green control provides protection for crop growth. In recent years, Chongming has vigorously promoted agricultural standardization and informatization, comprehensively promoted green production methods, and achieved full traceability of agricultural products.

The certification rate of the green food area is over 90 percent, and the certification rate of green food yield is over 40 percent. The agricultural green development index ranks among the top in the country.

Technology adds a powerful driving force for development. In collaboration with relevant research institutions, Chongming is striving to explore a new path for the development of the seed industry that combines industry, academia and research, and integrates breeding and promotion.

With the accelerated emergence of new technologies such as unmanned agricultural machinery, the Internet of Things and cloud computing, smart agriculture has shown its capabilities, and more and more new technology is being applied to agricultural production in Chongming.

Cultivating high-quality ecological agricultural products, with everyone participating and sharing in the development of the world-class ecological island, the district has vigorously developed as a doorstep industry in recent years.

It focuses on agricultural products such as white goats, bitter grass, mushroom and saffron, implementing an order-based production model of “unified seed source supply plus unified technical support plus distributed production plus unified repurchase,” promoting the organic connection between farmers’ wealth and industrial development.

Facing market trends, working alone has its limitations but working together is a good choice to adapt to current situations. Group companies for agricultural products such as Chongming freshwater crabs, rice, vegetables and white goats have been established in recent years to work together and achieve win-win cooperation.

Promoting regional public brands

The three islands of the district work together to promote the regional public brand, making good use of the geographical name of “Chongming plus” agricultural products, achieving unified production standards, unified identification authorization, unified packaging styles, and unified brand promotion.

To better promote and sell characteristic Chongming products, a shopping platform has gone online, enabling people to buy Chongming products from their source.

Multiple flagship stores offering Chongming gifts have opened for business in Shanghai, with fragrant and glutinous Chongming rice, strong and fatty Chongming freshwater crabs, and delicate white goat mutton available on shelves on the doorstep of other Shanghai residents.

Hence, people in Shanghai not only enjoy authentic delicacies from Chongming, but also a green concept and attitude toward life. Promoting its quality ingredients, Chongming has also teamed with several top restaurants in Shanghai to explore the potential of Chongming’s ecological agricultural products through intangible cultural heritage and local traditions.

Brand benefits have gradually emerged. The “agriculture plus new retail” business model continues to make breakthroughs.

In the next stage, leading enterprises in Chongming will fully leverage their professional platform advantages and influence, empower Chongming’s characteristic agricultural products to continue to improve and strengthen, further deepen brand connotation, and meet the diverse, trustworthy and safe consumption needs of the general public, according to the Chongming District Agriculture Commission.