From drones and the Beidou Navigation System to smart farming machinery, advanced technologies have paved an intelligent path for Chinese farmers during the spring plowing period.
The 2.4 million mu (160,000 hectares) of wheat in Luohe City of central China's Henan Province is currently in the critical period for disease and pest control as well as disaster prevention.
Many farmers in Xiwang Village of Luohe City now become skilled drone pilots. Multiple drones were used for spraying fertilizer and pesticides.
"It takes about half a day for humans to spray it on 10 mu of land (about 0.67 hectares), while using drones only takes 20 to 30 minutes," said Chai Kewei, a drone operator.
In Balipu Village of Cixian County in north China's Hebei Province, farmers drove tractors equipped with Beidou Navigation System to spray pesticides and fertilizers in the fields, in order to enhance efficiency and quality.
"It took just four or five days for two people to spray over six or seven hundred mu of land," said Wang Zeng, a farmer.
At the potato planting base in Jitou Village of Zhouning County in east China's Fujian Province, farmers use small agricultural machinery suitable for mountainous areas to plant potatoes on good weather days.
"Previously, it took us a month or more to finish planting about a hundred mu of potatoes. Now the time has been reduced by half, which offers the greatest advantage to farmers. Because even a single day difference in the sowing period has a significant impact on the growth of the potatoes," said Chen Fang, a farmer at the planting base.
Under the guidance of agro-technicians, the base streamlined its processes and improved efficiency, laying a solid foundation for increasing production and enhancing quality.
"We provide step-by-step guidance to farmers to ensure they master the planting techniques and achieve effective implementation of the technologies. Meanwhile, we optimize the compatibility of agricultural machinery, strengthen field management, and adopt multiple measures to enhance the yield and income of potato cultivation, thereby promoting increased grain production and farmers' income," said Lan Yufang, a technician.
The potato planting area in Zhouning County exceeds 50,000 mu, with an annual output of approximately 65,000 tons, driving regional income to 390 million yuan.
Smart farming machines help with plowing in China
