Fenghuang’s efforts to promote integrated development of agriculture and tourism

In Manjia Village, Jixin Town, Fenghuang County, the village environment is clean and tidy, and villagers are busy with spring farming in the fields. Tourists walk on the landscape path, pick fresh strawberries, grind soybean milk and weave straw shoes, enjoying the pastoral farming life.

In recent years, Manjia Village has improved agricultural efficiency and farmers’ income through the integration of agriculture and tourism. A beautiful village with prosperous industries, charming ecological environment, booming tourism and well-off farmers has taken shape. Booming rural tourism

In early March, Manjia Village Agricultural Culture Park was crowded with tourists. Over 10 weaving experience platforms are neatly arranged. With the help of local craftsmen, many tourists are seriously learning the weaving techniques of cattail leaf fans and straw shoes, experiencing the unique charm of intangible cultural heritage culture.

“During this year’s International Women’s Day, many units and enterprises in Xiangxi Prefecture have inquired and made reservations, and team building activities have been fully arranged these days.” Chen Shihui, first secretary of the village, said that in the past few days, an endless of tourist groups has come to here to carry out team building activities. Manjia Village boasts beautiful natural scenery and rich farming forms, making it a new place for many surrounding schools to carry out social practice activities.

“Since 2023, Manjia Village has adopted a model of Party branch plus cooperative (company) plus farmers”, focusing on building an agricultural culture park and an agricultural culture study base, allowing tourists to experience the natural farming culture in various forms of agricultural projects.” Chen Shihui added that the village has unique geographical advantages, convenient transportation, beautiful scenery and well-preserved folk culture, which has become an inherent advantage in developing rural tourism. In 2022, after the organization department of Fenghuang County Party Committee stationed in Manjia Village, based on the actual situation of the village, the farming culture has been developed. And a new comprehensive agricultural system that integrates planting, breeding, production, study, research and tourism has been put forward.

Now, a series of social practice activities have been carried out in the base like agricultural teaching, rice harvesting and compulsory tree planting, with over 1,000 teachers and students around the prefecture received. It has worked to build immersive experience projects that integrate agricultural study and rural tourism, and done a good job in the integrated development of agriculture, culture and tourism, allowing teachers and students to experience traditional rural life customs in Miao villages.

“Now, 7 handicraft experience workshops of sandstone painting, weaving, stone mill, woodworking, etc. have been built. Handicrafts made by tourists can be brought back as souvenirs, allowing students to learn knowledge and achieve a result.” Wu Li’an, head of the park, said that he wanted to develop the village into a new ideal place for rural leisure tourism that integrates meetings, team building, outdoor expansion, catering, barbecue, camping and study.

Working at doorsteps

The 45-year-old farmer Ou Jiajing never imaged that he can also get an income through tourism. The more than 500 kg of firewood he kept at home has caught the eye of tourists who would like to eat wood-fired rice.

The newly-built camping base in Manjia Village was crowded with tourists. They cooked meals with the firewood during the day, held a bonfire party at night, experienced glutinous rice cakes making, and appreciated Miao farming culture.

“In recent years, Manjia Village has continuously improved infrastructure and built four parking lots by developing rural tourism. The lives of villagers are getting better. The sense of gain, happiness and security of the people have significantly improved,” Long Jun, Party secretary of Manjia Village, said with a smile on his face. Since October last year, with the help of governments and departments at all levels, major events such as Xiangxi Prefecture Human Settlement Environment On-Site Meeting and Fenghuang County Rural Revitalization On-Site Meeting were held in Manjia Village. It has undertaken a series of activities such as team building and annual meetings, attracting urban and rural residents and tourists to come for sightseeing, driving the sales of agricultural products.

The base has provided more than 60 job opportunities, and achieved a labor income of 1 million yuan and a turnover income of about 100,000 yuan, further strengthening the village collective economy.

A beautiful countryside with prosperous industries, livable ecological environment, civilized rural atmosphere, effective governance and well-off life has been built.