Fields are square, roads connect, and irrigation channels link together. Walking through the countryside of Zhungeer Banner, land that was once crisscrossed by ravines and fragmented into small plots has now become vast stretches of stable, high-yield farmland.
From depending on the weather to securing stable harvests, and from scattered planting to large-scale mechanized operations, high-standard farmland construction is reshaping agricultural production methods in Zhungeer Banner. It is also underpinning hopes for food security, industrial efficiency, and higher farmer incomes.
Consolidating Fragmented Fields: "Weather-Dependent Fields" Become "Prosperity Fields"
In Dagou Village, Dalu Town, the villagers can best describe the changes brought by the high-standard farmland project. Previously, much of the village's land was made up of terraced fields and ravines—scattered, uneven plots where flood irrigation wasted water and prevented large-scale farming. Large machinery could not enter, planting costs could not be lowered, and land returns remained poor.
In 2024, Dagou Village implemented high-standard farmland construction, covering 3,021 mu of land across seven village groups. Taking advantage of the project, the village pushed forward centralized land consolidation, activating land resources further by leasing out 4,100 mu of land and benefiting over 1,600 farmers. "The fields used to be terraced with ravines and scattered plots, and irrigation was limited to flooding. After contiguous management of high-standard farmland, not only have farming conditions improved, but we also gained over 1,000 mu of extra land," said Liu Xiaoming, deputy director of the Dagou Village Committee.
With the consolidated fields, the cropping structure has become clearer. The village now grows over 3,000 mu of corn and 700 mu of sugar beet, with land returns rising significantly. Land rent currently stands at 610 yuan per mu and will increase to 650 yuan per mu next year, bringing village collective income to over 2.4 million yuan. Liu noted that corn yields used to be around 1,500 jin per mu, but last year they reached roughly 2,400 jin per mu. More importantly, farming previously relied on manpower and experience, but now the high-standard farmland is equipped with drip irrigation, mechanized operations, and drone-based plant protection—allowing a few workers to manage what once required dozens. "Now four people can farm about 4,000 mu of land, fully mechanized with drip irrigation and drone spraying. Labor costs are much lower than before," said Liu.
The consolidation of plots has enabled widespread use of large machinery, ending the era of fragmented fields that hindered mechanization, wasted labor, and suppressed yields. The comprehensive mechanization rate for cultivation, planting, and harvesting of major crops in the project area has surpassed 98%, dramatically boosting operational efficiency and reducing labor costs, achieving efficient production with minimized losses.
From terraced ravines to contiguous fertile fields, from flood irrigation to efficient drip systems, and from scattered cultivation to scaled operations, the high-standard farmland has transformed not only the landscape but also the way farmers work. In Dashuwan, Dagou Village, some households with more land now earn up to 40,000 yuan a year in dividends alone. Land is no longer just for growing crops—it has become a "cornucopia" for stable income growth.
Industrial Activation: High-Standard Fields Attract Large-Scale Operators
After the completion of high-standard farmland, it not only improved local farming conditions but also attracted agricultural cooperatives and large-scale farming households to establish operations. In Fulu Village, Shagedu Town, a total of 5,217 mu of high-standard farmland has been built. With improved land conditions, scaled operations became viable, and agricultural vitality continues to be unleashed.
Gao Peirong, head of Zhungeer Banner Zhuoyi Breeding and Planting Farmers' Cooperative, was drawn to the area by the quality of the fields and contracted over 2,800 mu in Fulu Village. "I contracted 2,800 mu of high-standard farmland at 300 yuan per mu, planting over 200 mu of soybeans and the rest with corn. This year, I am using the corn variety promoted by the Banner Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau. It offers high yields and fewer pests, giving me greater peace of mind," said Gao.
That "peace of mind" stems from the infrastructure improvements brought by the high-standard farmland. Previously, much of Fulu Village's arable land was rain-fed, with scarce water and scattered plots, making farming risky and deterring both farmers and investors. Following the transformation, supporting facilities—such as efficient water-saving irrigation, storage ponds, pipeline networks, field roads, soil improvement, and power distribution—have been progressively completed, filling in the gaps in agricultural production. "It was all dry land before, with no stable water source and fragmented plots. After consolidation into high-standard farmland, irrigation is guaranteed, roads are passable, and machinery can easily access the fields," Gao said. "Now, seasonal water shortages have been resolved, the land's resilience against drought has improved, and overall production capacity continues to rise. Last year, corn yield reached 2,150 jin per mu, up from about 800 jin per mu—a change we never imagined possible."
The leap from 800 jin to 2,150 jin per mu reflects a combination of improved soil quality, irrigation conditions, mechanized operations, and the adoption of superior seed varieties. The high-standard farmland has gradually shifted farming from "depending on the weather" to "depending on facilities, technology, and management." At the core of corn yield enhancement, Zhungeer Banner has been promoting advanced techniques such as shallow-buried drip irrigation, Beidou navigation precision seeding, and integrated intelligent water-fertilizer management. By combining "superior seeds, improved methods, advanced machinery, and smart control," the Banner injects technological momentum into high-yield, efficient farming. Dense planting with lodging-resistant varieties has increased plant density by more than 500 plants per mu compared with traditional methods, while nutrients are delivered directly to the roots via drip lines, greatly improving utilization efficiency. The integrated water-fertilizer technology cuts water usage by 90% and fertilizer by 8%, saving an average of 150 yuan per mu—unlocking corn yield potential while delivering multiple benefits of water saving, fertilizer reduction, labor savings, and increased efficiency.
Village-Enterprise Synergy: Farmers Benefit from Land Transfer and Industrial Growth
The high-standard farmland delivers more than just higher crop yields—it also strengthens the rural interest-linkage mechanism. Wang Fei, deputy director of the Fulu Village Committee, has witnessed the project from planning to implementation and its growing returns. He said the most visible change in the village is that the land has been "activated." "Villagers used to farm their own scattered plots independently, with high inputs and low returns. After the high-standard farmland was built, the fields were consolidated, infrastructure improved, outside operators became willing to come in, and the village gained the conditions to develop industry," Wang said.
High-standard farmland is not just about leveling the land; it connects farmers, village collectives, and business operators. It breaks the old bottleneck of fragmented fields and dispersed interests, integrating smallholder farmers into the modern agricultural value chain through unified planning, standardized leasing, and regulated operations. This approach improves cultivation conditions while unlocking land value, allowing all parties to share the gains from land upgrading and achieving coordinated progress in farmland protection, industrial development, and improved livelihoods.
During the construction, village collective economic organizations uniformly take on the consolidated contiguous land, implementing unified planning, cultivation, management, and sales. Collective operating income is reinvested into infrastructure maintenance, public welfare, and farmer dividends, creating a virtuous cycle of "collective income, farmer benefits, and facility upkeep." This effectively addresses the weakness of village collective economies and strengthens the service capacity and cohesion of village-level organizations.
These changes are equally evident in Dagou Village. Liu Xiaoming noted that since he started working in the village in 2018, he had long aspired to promote high-standard farmland construction. Over the past few years, as the project has materialized and delivered results, villagers have witnessed the benefits firsthand and their enthusiasm continues to grow. From fragmented, small-scale household farming to efficient, moderately scaled operations—and from meager, narrow income channels to stable, diversified earnings—the high-standard farmland is reshaping the development logic of rural industries in Zhungeer Banner.
Long-Term Maintenance: Ensuring Lasting Returns from High-Standard Farmland
For high-standard farmland, construction is the foundation, but maintenance is the key. If only construction is prioritized without proper upkeep, even the best facilities will fail to deliver sustained results. Zhungeer Banner places equal emphasis on both building and maintaining, prioritizing a long-term management mechanism to ensure that every mu built is well managed and delivers tangible outcomes.
As of 2026, the Banner has cumulatively built 303,800 mu of high-standard farmland, covering Shi'erliangcheng Township, Dalu Town, Shagedu Town, Boertao Hai Sumu, Xuejiawan Town, Zhunge'erzhao Town, Narisong Town, Nuanshui Township, and Youyi Subdistrict. These projects go beyond simple land leveling, involving systematic upgrades of fields, water systems, roads, and power infrastructure. During implementation, each locality carries out land leveling, soil improvement, irrigation and drainage works, field roads, and power distribution tailored to local conditions, gradually converting once scattered, fragmented, water-scarce, and hard-to-farm plots into modern farmland suitable for mechanized, high-yield production. The project areas now achieve both drought irrigation and flood drainage, with farmland irrigation assurance rates exceeding 90%, fundamentally improving agricultural production conditions.
In terms of construction entities, from 2011 to 2018, the projects were implemented by the Banner Finance Bureau, Natural Resources Bureau, and Water Resources Bureau; since 2019, the responsibility has been transferred to the Banner Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau. Both older and new projects are handed over in strict accordance with procedures, with construction units signing handover and maintenance agreements with township and village governments to ensure that completed projects have designated managers and remain operational and sustainable. By clarifying maintenance responsibilities, obligations, and operational mechanisms, the Banner has gradually established a work framework of "standardized construction, procedural handover, clear maintenance duties, and guaranteed operations."
For day-to-day upkeep, local authorities focus on regular inspections and repairs of irrigation pipelines, storage ponds, power distribution, field roads, and canal structures, achieving 100% maintenance coverage of high-standard farmland across the Banner. Since 2024, a total of 4.8367 million yuan has been invested in maintenance, continuously raising the level of farmland upkeep and effectively reducing farming risks for households. At present, all completed high-standard farmland projects in the Banner are operating normally, with irrigation facilities, field roads, and pipeline networks continuing to function effectively, laying a solid foundation for increased grain output, agricultural efficiency, and farmer income.
In Zhungeer Banner, the transformation of the land sustains the steady well-being of its people, thriving endlessly across the fields of hope.