Government, Enterprises, and Banks Join Forces to Explore Development Paths; Cross-Regional Collaboration Seeks “Insights from Other Mountains”—A Field Report on Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, Visiting Sichuan to Study the Comprehensive Land Consolidation Project.

Comprehensive land remediation is a major strategic project that is vital to national food security, ecological security, resource security, and industrial development. However, in the actual implementation process, a series of critical issues—such as high-level coordinated planning, clarifying investment entities, broadening funding channels, and promoting deep integration among industries—remain pressing real-world challenges that urgently need to be addressed.

To tackle the above-mentioned challenges, the Party Committee and the People's Government of Chuxiong Prefecture in Yunnan Province have attached great importance to the issue. From August 11 to 13, a working group led by the state’s natural resources department, in collaboration with the state’s operating group company, the Chuxiong Branch of the Agricultural Development Bank of China, and relevant personnel from county (city) branches and county (city) natural resources bureaus, traveled to Niufo Town, Zigong City—the first pilot town for comprehensive land consolidation across the entire region in Sichuan Province—to conduct on-site exchanges and learning.

*Introduction to the Niufu Town Project

The comprehensive land remediation of Niufo Town is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China. The model of “mulberry-pond fish farming circular economy,” promoted in typical cases from 2022, and the “win-win mechanism for revitalizing historic districts and protecting cultivated land,” featured in the 2023 Report on Rural Revitalization by the National Development and Reform Commission, have been successfully implemented. “Four Major Breakthroughs”:

First, spatial reconstruction preserves the ancient charm. Demarcate The 0.6-square-kilometer core protection zone for Ming and Qing dynasty historic buildings has restored 26 cultural heritage sites—including the Hele Hall—through “micro-renewal” approaches. The zone’s experience of “micro-renewal of historic buildings combined with a linked increase-decrease mechanism to support cultural development” was included in the “National Guidelines on Land Policies for the Protection of Historic and Cultural Towns” (Natural Resources Office Letter [2023] No. 1201).

Second, ecological restoration builds a barrier. Tuojiang River shoreline reverts farmland to wetlands. 187 mu of land have been used to restore mangrove forests, creating an ecological barrier that mitigates the threat of flooding to the ancient street.

Third, contiguous mulberry fields promote industrial upgrading. Integrate fragmented farmland into a unified whole. A 3,200-mu standardized mulberry-fish pond system has been established, creating a circular economy model that involves: "mulberry leaves nourishing silkworms → silkworm excrement feeding fish → fishpond sediment fertilizing mulberry trees → mulberry branches used for smoking and drying pork knuckles." After the addition of a supporting cold-chain logistics park, the annual output value of smoked pork knuckles exceeds 300 million yuan.

Fourth, activate and enhance the efficiency of land use for rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Revitalize abandoned docks to build... The “Chuanjiang Boatmen’s Culture Park” features a restored ancient trail used by boatmen and a steamed-cake banquet workshop. By leveraging surplus indicators from the “increase-and-reduction linkage” mechanism, a new intangible cultural heritage study and practice base has been established in Zhenbei, encouraging local farmers to join cooperatives as shareholders.

*On-site research at Niufu Town

Despite the fatigue from travel, and braving the humid heat typical of the Chengdu Plain, the working group began its research and study immediately upon arrival in Sichuan. In addition to visiting the Niufu Town Government and conducting on-site learning, they also went successively to the Chengdu office base of Zhongtou Zeshi (Beijing) International Consulting Co., Ltd. and the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Nuclear Geology and Survey, where they held discussions and exchanges on the investment and financing approaches and planning and technical approaches for comprehensive land remediation.

*Conference exchange venue

Mr. Song Yingzhong, Chairman of "Zhongtou Zeshi," interpreted the investment and financing policies for comprehensive land remediation from the perspective of national strategy, and engaged in an in-depth exchange with the working group on topics including project planning, construction models, industrial integration, and fundraising (including fiscal and policy-based financial channels).

The Land Consolidation Center of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Geological Survey, located in Jiuxiang Town, Hanyuan County, Ya’an City. The “All-Domain+” innovation model and the concept of integrated development across multiple industries were discussed in depth and in a straightforward manner with the working group, covering topics such as planning techniques and industry integration.

All members who participated in this learning and exchange activity expressed that the event broadened their horizons, fostered innovative thinking, alleviated concerns, strengthened their confidence, and invigorated their spirits.

The working group’s leadership stated that, upon returning, they will promptly organize in-depth seminars and discussions, and develop a report plan tailored to Chuxiong Prefecture’s specific conditions and strengths. Under the strong leadership of the Prefectural Party Committee and the Prefectural People’s Government, they will actively engage with policy-based financial institutions to secure funding support, deepen cooperation with specialized agencies, and meticulously plan project preparation and design investment and financing schemes. By leveraging multiple funding channels, they will promote the development of a number of distinctive, comprehensive land remediation demonstration projects, contributing to high-quality regional economic development and exploring new models and approaches for comprehensive land consolidation with Chuxiong characteristics.