Technology drives sowing of broad beans in Huangzhong district, NW China's Qinghai

An agricultural machine equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System sows seeds in Xiliangqi village, Xibao town, Huangzhong district, Xining city, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

In Xiliangqi village of Xibao town in Huangzhong district, Xining city, northwest China's Qinghai Province, spring planting began in mid-March as farmers sowed fresh broad beans — one of the district's signature crops. With smart agricultural machinery now taking the lead, a new chapter in plateau farming is unfolding, marking a shift from traditional methods to technology-driven agriculture.

"This machine handles both plastic film mulching and precision hole-seeding, with row and plant spacing far more accurate than even experienced farmers can achieve," said Hu Jiankun, director of the agricultural technology promotion center of Huangzhong district, who briefed major growers on characteristics of new varieties of broad beans and mechanized planting.

A seeder equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System works in Xiliangqi village, Xibao town, Huangzhong district, Xining city, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

Nearby, machine operator Liu Yankui tapped the screen of a remote control as an unmanned soil-preparation machine turned itself around, recalibrated, and resumed deep tilling. "I used to rely on livestock and tractors for farming. I never imagined unmanned machines would do the work — they save so much time and effort," Liu said.

The shift from rule-of-thumb practices to data-driven decision-making is redefining how farming is carried out in Huangzhong district.

This year, the district has kept its grain crop planting area stable at 429,000 mu (about 28,600 hectares), and plans to deploy 45,800 sets of agricultural machinery, with a strong push to promote smart technologies such as BeiDou satellite navigation, autonomous driving systems, and integrated water-fertilizer management, said Yan Lihua, deputy director of the district's bureau of agriculture and rural affairs.

To date, 44 farmers' cooperatives and family farms across the district have launched social services, providing end-to-end contract farming to more than 8,600 small agricultural households.

An operator operates an unmanned agricultural machine in Xiliangqi village, Xibao town, Huangzhong district, Xining city, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

At the site, two quality varieties of pink-coated broad bean seeds promoted by the district were placed into the soil. Both varieties produce plump kernels with strong disease resistance, and seed-coating technology significantly boosts germination rates while effectively preventing underground pests and diseases, said Zhang Yajing, deputy director of the district's agricultural technology promotion center.

The district made notable progress in the fresh broad bean industry in 2025, with the cultivation area reaching 2,000 mu and an average yield of 1,500 kilograms per mu. In particular, demonstration plots using a fresh broad bean-vegetable relay-cropping model generated combined revenues of more than 10,000 yuan (about $1,370) per mu on average.

Growers consult agricultural technology experts in Xiliangqi village, Xibao town, Huangzhong district, Xining city, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

The wide use of smart agricultural machinery has been bolstered by strong policy support. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the district channeled 43.2 million yuan into agricultural machinery purchase subsidies, spurring nearly 110 million yuan in farmers' investment, and supported the acquisition of 7,872 units of agricultural equipment. By the end of 2025, the district's comprehensive agricultural mechanization rate had climbed to 77.88 percent.

Photo shows broad bean seeds treated with seed-coating technology in Xiliangqi village, Xibao town, Huangzhong district, Xining city, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)