Tianshan network reporter Wang Xinhong
"On weekends or holidays, I often meet a few friends, bring my family, and go to leisure spots around Urumqi to pick." On October 17, Li Yong, a Urumqi citizen who was picking at the organic farm in Saiwai Water Town, Anningqu Town, Urumqi High-tech Industrial Development Zone (New Urban Area), held sweet potatoes stained with dirt and smiled.
Nowadays, meeting relatives and friends, driving a private car to Tianmo to enjoy the flowers, picking and fishing, and enjoying a slow life have become a popular choice for the holiday life of the people of all ethnic groups in our district.
The vigorous development of leisure and tourism agriculture is becoming a new form of agricultural industrialization development in our region, a new field for the expansion of agricultural functions, and a new path for farmers to increase their income and become rich.
Continuous empowerment to form a synergy for development
Tourists take photos of flowers in the lily garden of the rural community of Uzonbulak in Qabchar Xibo Autonomous County on June 23. Photo by Hua Yanming
Expanding the multiple functions of agriculture and vigorously developing leisure agriculture is an important exploration of agricultural quality and efficiency.
In recent years, governments at all levels in our region have based on the new development pattern of "double circulation", closely followed the positioning of leisure and tourism agriculture, and developed in deep integration around the rural first, second, and third industries, and continued to empower.
Liu Tiejun, director of the Leisure tourism agriculture promotion center of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of the Autonomous Region, introduced that the "Outline of the Planning for the Modernization of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in the Autonomous Region (2011-2020)" and the "Opinions of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the People's Government of the Autonomous Region on Accelerating the Development of Agricultural Industrialization" have all made arrangements for the development of leisure and tourism agriculture in Xinjiang. The "2020 Xinjiang Leisure Agriculture and Rural Tourism Boutique Project Overall Design Plan" makes arrangements for promoting the high-quality development of leisure and tourism agriculture. The central government and the autonomous region arrange various types of poverty alleviation funds, industrial funds, leisure agriculture discount funds, and small loan discount funds and other preferential policies to support the development of leisure and tourism agriculture in Xinjiang.
In addition, our district has also actively carried out the creation of national, district, and city (county) level leisure agriculture and rural tourism demonstration sites, further improving the development level of leisure demonstration sites at all levels, integrating the development of leisure agriculture with modern agriculture, beautiful countryside, ecological civilization, cultural and creative industry construction, and farmers' entrepreneurship and innovation, and promoting the integrated development of rural first, second, and third industries.
With the support of governments at all levels and various policies, the planning and design of leisure tourism agriculture in our region has become more and more reasonable, and the enthusiasm of farmers to participate in the development of leisure agriculture has become higher and higher.
According to the data of the Leisure Tourism Agriculture Promotion Center of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of the Autonomous Region, as of 2020, there are 11 national leisure agriculture and rural tourism demonstration counties, 258 leisure tourism agriculture demonstration sites in the autonomous region (19 national leisure agriculture and rural tourism demonstration sites), 37 beautiful leisure villages in China, 4 important agricultural cultural heritage sites in China, and 164 national leisure agriculture and rural tourism star demonstration enterprises (parks) (more than three stars).
"Leisure and tourism agriculture in our region is gradually moving from decentralized operation to cluster operation, with more abundant types, increased participation in social capital, and prominent trends in industrialization and diversification." Liu Tiejun said.
By the end of last year, our district has built more than 6,600 leisure and tourism agricultural management organizations and promoted 60 "agriculture + tourism" boutique routes. In the first half of this year, the rural areas in the region received about 27 million tourists, driving the employment of more than 15,000 people and achieving an income of 962 million yuan.
Innovation and development have raised the pockets of farmers
On July 27, tourists were enjoying the fun of picking in the West Sea Hundred Orchards of Lahannuoer Village, Caikannor Township, Bohu County. Photo courtesy of Bohu County Rong Media Center
With the development of leisure and tourism agriculture becoming more and more mature, the managers and practitioners of leisure and tourism agriculture in our district have begun to conduct in-depth research and thinking on propositions such as the market is fine, the industry is wide, and the park is fine.
Combining the characteristic advantageous industries and agricultural industry bases such as "one village and one product" in various places; relying on characteristic resources such as "flowers", "fruits" and "agriculture"; making full use of the advantages of pastoral scenery and mountain and sea resources, extending the functions of the agricultural industry, supporting service facilities, and striving to transform the advantages of agricultural resources into economic advantages... In the investigation and reflection, the managers and practitioners of leisure and tourism agriculture in our district have summarized and explored a variety of unique development models such as agricultural science and technology, urban suburban, scenic spots, desert oasis, folk customs, and characteristic industries.
"Relying on these innovative development models, the main body of leisure and tourism agriculture in our region has been continuously enhanced, and the comprehensive benefits have been continuously improved, and it has developed into a new bright spot in the agricultural and rural economy." Liu Tiejun said.
The village of Szhilma in Baheqi Township, Shule County, Kashgar Region, is 12 kilometers away from the county seat of Shule County, bordering Tazihong Township to the east, the 41st Regiment of the Third Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and Aktau County to the south, and Shufu County to the west, which has good geographical advantages. In recent years, relying on its geographical advantages, the village has innovated and developed leisure and tourism agriculture, and has created 26 characteristic workshops such as homestays, handicraft workshops and flower workshops, driving the employment of 21 people and increasing the average household income by 50,000 yuan.
"We have also created the 'Xiyu 36 Fang' experiential study base, allowing visitors to experience the unique charm of rural tourism in an all-round and immersive way." Tuguri Musa, deputy director of the village committee of Srilma, said.
Fukang City, adjacent to Urumqi City, organically combines the development of leisure tourism agriculture and the construction of modern agricultural demonstration areas, forming a number of demonstration parks integrating leisure, sightseeing and picking such as Ice Lake Picking Garden, Liuyun Fruit Tree Garden, And Nanwan Strawberry Garden, etc. Tourists can watch various exotic flowers and fruits and taste various fruits and vegetables without leaving the garden.
"The West Queen Mother Peach Orchard, which integrates fruit and vegetable picking and adoption, lotus peony viewing, and green corridor rest, not only solves the development problem of small scale, decentralization and weak strength of leisure and tourism agriculture, but also promotes the increase of farmers' income." Shang Fengling, head of the Queen Mother Taoyuan in Fukang City, said.
The innovative development of leisure and sightseeing agriculture has made the pockets of farmers in our district bulge at the doorstep of their homes.
According to the data of the Leisure Tourism Agriculture Promotion Center of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of the Autonomous Region, as of 2020, the number of people engaged in various types of leisure agriculture in our region will reach 75,600, driving the number of farmers to 90,000 households, and the sales income of agricultural and sideline products will be 860 million yuan.
Strengthen the brand to create a boutique line
In autumn, the Kangqi Wetland Scenic Area in Argyle Village, Kangqi Township, Baicheng County, Aksu Region, ushered in the most beautiful season of the year. Courtesy of Baicheng County Rong Media Center
Open the "Xinjiang Leisure Agriculture and Rural Tourism Boutique Route Promotion Manual", Xinjiang leisure agriculture and rural tourism boutique route at a glance.
"This manual was completed by the end of 2020. At present, the 60 agricultural tourism boutique routes recommended in the manual cover all parts of Xinjiang, which can basically meet the needs of tourists for 'spring flower appreciation, summer cooling, autumn picking, and winter agricultural fun'. Xu Chao, a cadre of the Leisure Tourism Agriculture Promotion Center of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of the Autonomous Region, said.
Xu Chao is one of the compilers of the "Xinjiang Leisure Agriculture and Rural Tourism Boutique Route Promotion Manual". He said: In order to strengthen brand building and cultivate industrial highlands, in recent years, the Leisure and Tourism Agriculture Promotion Center of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of the Autonomous Region has strengthened its docking with the Autonomous Region Department of Culture and Tourism and other departments, planned and carried out special activities for agricultural products in Xinjiang to enter scenic spots, and also used the mechanism of aiding Xinjiang to carry out the display and sales activities of Xinjiang agricultural products into scenic spots in other provinces in China, helping xinjiang to develop and sell agricultural products with special characteristics, and improving the brand awareness of Xinjiang's agricultural products.
"At the end of this year, we will also supplement the "Xinjiang Leisure Agriculture and Rural Tourism Boutique Route Promotion Manual", at which time, the recommended agricultural tourism boutique routes will reach 100." Xu Chao said.
In August 2020, The village of Ager in Kangqi Township, Baicheng County, was rated as "China's Beautiful Leisure Village" by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Since then, more people have come to the village to play. In the clear water puddle, tourists swim back and forth on rafts. On weekends and holidays, there are long lines of tourist vehicles.
Abudureim Tulafu, a villager in the village of Agere who had eaten a tourist meal, changed his previous mentally depressed appearance and came to the scenic spot early every day to work.
"In 2020, there are 10 villages in our district, together with the village of Ager in Kangqi Township, Baicheng County, which was selected as a beautiful leisure village in China. We also excavated and selected 42 boutique farms (gardens) with rich business formats and beautiful scenic spots in the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, Yanqi Basin, Tuha Basin, Ili River Valley and other areas, which can drive rural revitalization and increase employment and income of farmers and herdsmen. Liu Tiejun said.
In 2020, the number of leisure tourism receptions in our region reached 19.35 million people, and the operating income reached 2.778 billion yuan; Xinjiang agricultural products entered other provinces in China to display and sell 860,600 yuan on site, and 24 intention agreements were reached, with a total signed amount of 150 million yuan.