On October 17, Qian Zhenya, chairman of Shandong Huaya Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., showed an eager audience the bright future of smart agriculture on display at the Extensive Soybean Yield Improvement Demonstration Zone in Jiaxiang county, Jining, Shandong Province. In his words, "These advanced devices and equipment not only helped save a total of 200 yuan ($27.33) - from seeding, to crop protection, to irrigation - but also brought about a bumper harvest. The agricultural output value under smart management has risen dramatically."
 

 

In terms of soybean production, Shandong Province ranks first in China, with Jiaxiang county accounting for the largest share of Shandong's production. Over 50,000 mu (around 3,333.33 hectares) of soybeans in the Extensive Soybean Yield Improvement Demonstration Zone in Jiaxiang have achieved high yields. The continuous increase in unit yield and profit has resulted in harvests and higher incomes for local farmers.

As a Chinese saying goes, a country without strong agriculture will be unstable, and people without enough food will feel insecure. That explains why the food industry underpins rural revitalization. Jiaxiang county is one of the first national regional soybean seed breeding bases and a major Chinese soybean seed production county. Its Party committee and government, therefore, resolutely shoulder the political responsibility of revitalization with soybean cultivation, and are paving the way for unmanned farms in the demonstration zone to harvest through smart agriculture.

In order to ensure power supply for the development of smart agriculture as early as possible, the State Grid Jiaxiang County Power Supply Company visited Huaya in advance to learn about the progress of its modern agricultural demonstration zone project and its power needs.

Electricity is indispensable for the high-tech-driven modern agricultural technology, for its water and fertilizer supply systems, and a smart crop management. Considering the special case of the zone, the power supply company made phone calls and door-to-door visits to determine the power load and understand local needs. It then developed a special power supply program, inspected and eliminated potential hazards in the lines and equipment, and addressed any power consumption issues in a timely manner. Meanwhile, to better promote agricultural modernization, a green lane was created to streamline the application process for power supply, on-site instructions were given to the person in charge of the center on how to access electricity-related services via the "Wangshangguowang" app, and electrical safety manuals were distributed.
 

 

With the high-yield smart agriculture cultivation technology empowered by an abundant power supply, the entire process - from planting to harvesting - will gradually be characterized by large-scale operations, standardized production, specialized varieties, and order-oriented sales, which will lead to an overall increase in the average unit yield of soybeans throughout the county. (Wang Zhedong)