In 2024, Sichuan listed improving unit yield as the top priority for provincial grain production and launched the "Tianfu Granary · Hundred Counties, Thousand Plots" construction initiative for the first time. The goal is to increase the province's grain unit yield by another 6 jin (3 kg), further accelerating the development of a higher-level "Tianfu Granary" in the new era. As a major agricultural county, Qianwei focuses on creating a new hilly-area model for the "Tianfu Granary," taking high-yield rice demonstration as a key focus. It has built multiple thousand-mu high-yield rice demonstration areas with high standards, promoting a systematic "four-in-one" modern agricultural production model of "fertile land, quality seeds, good techniques, and suitable machinery" to drive large-scale unit yield increases for grain and oil crops across the county.

Recently, in Group 5 of Qixing Village, Luocheng Town, a 30-mu experimental field presents tender green seedlings neatly arranged, with rows of small white plastic signs inserted among them. Each sign clearly marks the name and number of different rice varieties. Technicians from Qianwei County's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau shuttle through the fields, carefully observing the growth of each seedling and meticulously guarding this experimental field that carries hope.

"This year, we collaborated with the Leshan Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau and the Leshan Academy of Agricultural Sciences to conduct a variety comparison test of over 160 rice varieties at Qixing Village in Luocheng Town—a city-level rice variety display and evaluation site," said Xu Chunmei, Deputy Director of Qianwei County's Agricultural Technology Promotion Center. "The test covers most rice varieties sold in the market, and the results will provide a reasonable basis for farmers in Leshan's plain and hilly areas to select rice varieties."

According to Xu, they will measure and accept the yield of this experimental field in August this year. Subsequently, they will vigorously promote the selected middle-season rice varieties with high yield, strong stress resistance, and regenerative capacity across the county, providing farmers with higher-quality and more suitable planting schemes. By scientifically selecting seeds, they aim to achieve yield and income increases, striving toward the goal of "ton-grain fields" (1,000 kg per mu).

This experimental field is just a microcosm of Qianwei's county-wide promotion of green, high-yield, and efficient rice demonstration areas.

Entering the rice-medicinal crop rotation demonstration base in Aojia Village, Shoubao Town, the roar of machinery fills the air as two transplanters shuttle back and forth. Wherever they go, rows of tender green seedlings are neatly arranged, like a vibrant green carpet laid on the earth.

"Relying on high-standard farmland, we have fully built a characteristic grain and oil park, establishing a 1,500-mu regional large-scale rice-medicinal crop rotation demonstration base covering seven villages including Aojia, Guangmang, Jiankang, and Qingshan," said Fu Chunmei, Deputy Mayor of Shoubao Town. "We implement full mechanization in the four stages of 'plowing, planting, prevention, and harvesting.' The highest mu yield reaches about 1,500 jin (750 kg), greatly reducing production costs and losses during cultivation and harvesting, increasing grain output, driving income growth, and radiating to promote green, high-yield, and efficient rice across thousands of mu in the town."

In 2024, Qianwei formulated the Work Plan for Qianwei County's "Tianfu Granary · Hundred Counties, Thousand Plots" "Double Hundred" Construction Initiative. Following the approach of relative concentration and rolling development, it has steadily advanced the construction of provincial thousand-mu high-yield plots and municipal hundred-mu high-yield areas for major grain and oil crops, promoting agricultural development by town and village. As of now, the county has built 10 provincial thousand-mu high-yield grain and oil demonstration plots and 14 municipal hundred-mu high-yield areas, planning to new build 10 provincial thousand-mu plots and 14 municipal hundred-mu areas in 2025.

Additionally, Qianwei is actively exploring agricultural research innovation. It has collaborated with Professor Zhu Jun from Sichuan Agricultural University to carry out experimental demonstrations of the "selenium-rich, high-calcium, low-cadmium" rice variety Shuxiangyou 668, exploring and integrating high-yield and efficient cultivation techniques for such rice. This lays a solid foundation for formulating production standards, promoting the brand, and expanding its influence in the later stage.

"Next, Qianwei will resolutely shoulder the political responsibility of ensuring national food security, continue to deeply implement the 'store grain in land' strategy, and strive to promote another increase in the large-scale unit yield of grain and oil," said Cheng Wanlin, Chief Economist of Qianwei County's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau. "We will ensure the county's grain area stabilizes above 659,400 mu, oilseed area above 118,900 mu, and grain output reaches 285,000 tons, contributing as a major grain-producing county to building a higher-level 'Tianfu Granary' in the new era."(Text/Photos by Li Xudong, Pan Wei)