'Hometown of Chinese navel oranges' shines with smart agriculture efforts

Zigui county, known as "hometown of Chinese navel oranges", in Central China's Hubei province has driven its navel orange industry onto the fast track by smart agriculture.

"With the support from China Internet Development Foundation, the orchard sector has accelerated the ongoing digital transformation as part of the efforts to produce high-quality fruits and increase local farmers' income," said Yan Yi, director-general of Jiaxian fruits and vegetables production and marketing cooperative in Guiya village, Zigui county.

Yan Yi, a Guiya native, in his 30s, returned to his hometown after graduating from university.

Meteorological stations help farmers collect data such as wind temperature, humidity, rainfall and pressure, pest monitoring lamps help protect fruits from insects and diseases, and automatic irrigation systems enable farmers to control the amount of water and fertilizer. These devices can be operated remotely via smartphone apps, significantly improving efficiency and reducing labor costs.