Village in Wenzhou reaps benefits by integrating agriculture, tourism

Yuantou is among pilot villages for the "zero-pollution village" construction project, which was organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Environmental Protection Federation.

In 2019, Wenzhou's first "zero-pollution village" pilot project was launched in Yuantou to increase recycling, bring about higher efficiency in the use of resources and reduce waste via multiple measures, such as using degradable bags, recycling trash and building an ecological agricultural garden.

Over the past five years, the village, which has nine homestays as well as various farmhouses and snack bars, has become known to more people via the internet.

In 2021, Yuantou hosted more than 180,000 tourists, with total income from tourism hitting 2 million yuan. During the National Day holiday in October last year, it attracted more than 30,000 tourists.

Chen told China Daily that the village is planning to build a research base in the beautiful countryside, and she hopes that more young talent will return to their hometowns and help with rural vitalization.

Yuantou, which is in the northern mountainous area of Yongjia, has promoted the integrated development of agriculture and tourism as it strives for common prosperity.

In the town of Dajing, known as the hometown of Dendrobium candidum, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, Fang Yuyou, co-founder and CEO of Proya, led the villagers to plant 20 hectares of Dendrobium officinale, also a medicinal plant, and more than 45 hectares of different fruits.

Fang invited foreign experts to conduct research and develop applications for Dendrobium officinale, and produced a variety of products that meet the consumption habits and needs of the market. More than 70 products have been developed, including those for health and skin care.

Fang also invested in the construction of an amusement park in his hometown, the village of Xiashantou, which more than 10 years ago had no resources, no industry and no development environment.