In mid-spring, the vast expanse of Hengyang’s fields reveals a vibrant mosaic of rice paddies and tobacco farms. Beidou-guided tractors work the freshly tilled soil, agricultural drones fly low to deliver precise fertilization, and uniformed “new farmers” monitor soil conditions with tablets in hand. Behind these modern scenes lies the “golden key” to rural wealth for Hengyang’s tobacco farmers.

In Hengyang’s rural areas, new quality productive forces are driving the integrated development of grain and tobacco, injecting strong momentum into rural revitalization through the innovative model of “shared agricultural facilities, joint cultivation of grain and tobacco farmers, and mutual support between rice and tobacco industries.”

Shared Facilities: A Vital Tool for Tobacco-Rice Rotation

At the tobacco-rice rotation base in Ping’an Village, Xiling Town, Changning City, drones operate efficiently across the fields. Previously, separate equipment was used for tobacco and rice farming. Today, thanks to collaborative efforts between tobacco and agricultural departments to promote full-mechanization and shared equipment, general-purpose machinery like drones and tractors have become key assets in tobacco-rice production areas.

Through resource integration, Hengyang’s tobacco regions have achieved high-efficiency use of facilities: greenhouses now cultivate tobacco seedlings, rice seedlings, and vegetables year-round; tobacco curing barns are used both for curing leaves and processing agricultural products; and machinery alternates seamlessly between tobacco and rice fields, solving scheduling conflicts. This creates a synergistic model of “multi-use greenhouses, multi-purpose barns, and versatile machinery.”

Building on this, the Hengyang Tobacco Monopoly Administration (Company) has launched the “Field Sky” smart farmland system, sharing weather and pest monitoring data, promoting dual-purpose machinery and green pest control technologies, and helping farmers shift from traditional farming to smart management for “easier farming.”

Joint Cultivation: Making Farming a Respected Profession

At a digital farm in Taijiu Village, Taiyuan Town, Hengyang County, Zhu Xia, a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and a “new farmer,” monitors agricultural data alongside young university-graduate tobacco farmers via the “Field Sky” system. “We used to farm by watching the sky; now we farm by watching screens and data. Farming has become a respectable career,” Zhu Xia said with a smile.

The synergy between grain and tobacco relies on nurturing strong market players. With strong players, industries can develop with higher quality. The tobacco department has implemented initiatives such as the “Professional Tobacco Farmer Training Program” and the “Tonghang Night School” to cultivate high-quality farmers. Experts are invited to teach planting techniques and management experience, while successful “new farmers” share their entrepreneurial stories to inspire others to return to the countryside. Farmers like Hu Keneng, born in the 1980s, have mastered skills such as tobacco-rice rotation and drone operation through training, becoming versatile agricultural talents. By the end of 2024, Hengyang had 998 new professional tobacco farmers, accounting for over 50% of the total.

Industrial Integration: Boosting Villagers’ Income

In Yihai Village, Chashi Town, Hengnan County, a diversified development model has emerged through a grain-tobacco collaborative industrial complex. Over 2,100 mu（about 1.4 km²） of land is utilized efficiently year-round for tobacco, rice, and vegetable rotation with shared infrastructure. In 2023, the village established the “Tonghang Orchard,” planting specialty fruits such as dragon fruit and Shine Muscat grapes, registered the “Yiran” brand, and adopted green, pollution-free production practices. By leveraging the “Xiangcun 636” retail stores and the “Tonghang Makers” online platform, they expanded sales channels both online and offline, creating a full industry chain.

By aligning with regional tourism initiatives, Yihai Village has launched “Tobacco-Rice Park + Diversified Industry Park” tourism routes, offering year-round agro-tourism landscapes that attract nearby visitors. According to Village Party Secretary Luo Kaiheng, the integration of rice, tobacco, fruit, and tourism industries has increased average household incomes by 33,000 yuan, significantly improving villagers’ livelihoods.

Currently, four similar industrial complexes have been established across Hengyang, promoting tobacco-rice rotation over 15,000 mu and aligning with local rice brands.

Liu Zhi, Party Secretary of Hengyang Tobacco Monopoly Administration (Company), told reporters that the city will continue innovating the grain-tobacco synergy model, leveraging new quality productive forces to drive industrial upgrading and contribute to food security, increased farmers’ incomes, and rural revitalization.

Translator: Jing