Located in the northwest of Yunnan province, Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture was once one of the most impoverished among China's "three regions and three prefectures," with a poverty rate as high as 56.24%.

Through comprehensive measures such as the development of industries to enrich the farmers, relocation for poverty alleviation, diversified integration of agriculture and tourism, the ecological development and digital technology empowerment, Nujiang has successfully lifted 269,600 impoverished people out of poverty, and all four impoverished counties (cities) have been removed from the poverty list.

1. Specialty products for increased income

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture is located in the core area of the "Three Parallel Rivers" World Natural Heritage site in the northwest of Yunnan Province. More than 98% of the region consists of high mountain canyons. However, the forest coverage rate is 67.77%, with abundant forestry resources providing vast under-forest space. Most of Nujiang Prefecture is located at the foot of the Gaoligong Mountain, a National Nature Reserve, and its unique vertical climates and "double rainy seasons" provide exceptional advantages for tsaoko cultivation.

Since the successful trial planting of tsaoko in the 1970s, its cultivation has gradually expanded in Lushui City, Fugong County, and Gongshan County, exploring a new path for local industrial development.

What have they done?

Since 2022, the government has secured various funds for the industry, including 12.4 million yuan from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for industrial cluster development.

Other funding sources include 76.46 million yuan in supportive and bridging funds, 10 million yuan in targeted aid from China Communications Construction Company, and 117 million yuan in social capital investment, all aimed at supporting the high-quality development of the full industrial chain of tsaoko.

The prefecture has organized and implemented several technological programs, including the establishment of the first prefecture-level key laboratory, the Amomum Tsaoko Biology and Resource Utilization Laboratory, which conducts experiments on the physicochemical properties and fast culture propagation of Amomum tsaoko.

In terms of primary industries, a green pest and disease control system for tsaoko has been established, infrastructure has been improved, and drone transportation trials have been conducted to ensure stable planting areas and steadily increasing fresh fruit yields. For secondary industries, the Nujiang Green Spice Industrial Park is being developed as an integrated complex combining research, exhibition, and experiential activities.

"Nujiang Tsaoko" regional public brand logo has been established, and the industry has already obtained three organic and green certifications, registered 39 tsaoko trademarks in 121 categories, and received an ecological origin product protection certificate.

What have they achieved?

By 2024, 11 new tsaoko products were launched, with 7 receiving SC certification or industrial production licenses.

In 2024, the area of tsaoko remained stable at 1.1138 million mu, with the fruit-bearing area reaching 620,000 mu. Fresh fruit production amounted to 72,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 26.1%.

The total output value reached 2.299 billion yuan, an increase of 53.31% compared to the previous year.

The industry also benefited 165,300 people in the tsaoko production areas, with an average income increase of 3,438 yuan per person.

2. A new world through relocation

Nujiang Prefecture is located in a region known for "four mountains encircling three rivers," with towering mountains and intersecting rivers. Over 98% of the area consists of high mountains and valleys, and 76.6% of the cultivated land has a slope of over 25 degrees. The highest altitude is 5,128 meters, and the lowest is 738 meters, with little flat land. Additionally, nearly 60% of the region's land is classified as "restricted development areas" or "prohibited development areas," with less than 5% of land being suitable for cultivation.

However currently, Nujiang's relocation efforts have entered the phase of "settle down and prosper," with multiple measures in place to address issues such as employment, public services, and custom changes, ensuring tangible benefits for relocated families.

What have they done?

A new management system, combining "Management Committee + Community + Heartwarming Groups," has been implemented.

In all 67 relocation sites, 50 employment and entrepreneurship service stations have been established, with 98 employees and 508 employment information staff, assisting community workers with employment transfers, skill training, and other related services, creating a "15-minute employment circle" in the relocation areas.

In the 67 relocation sites, infrastructure such as water, electricity, roads, and internet have been available, and a full coverage of basic public services like elderly care, education, and healthcare is in place. Children of relocated families can attend schools from kindergarten to high school within the relocation sites, with nearly 500 students attending colleges and universities in recent years.

What have they achieved?

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), Nujiang completed its largest-ever relocation project, moving 26,800 households and 101,900 people from the mountains into towns. The relocation rate accounted for one-third of the poverty-stricken population, one-quarter of the rural population, and one-fifth of the total population in the prefecture, ranking the highest rate in the country.

Through large-scale relocation for poverty alleviation, Nujiang Prefecture helped 102,000 impoverished people move out of the mountains and settle in towns and cities. By the end of 2024, 57,700 labor force have been relocated, with 53,000 successfully finding new jobs, representing an employment rate of 91%.

A total of 65 agricultural industrial parks have been established in the relocation sites and surrounding areas, benefiting 16,400 households and 57,400 people.

To help relocated people from minority groups, particularly those zhiguo peoples (people transitioned directly from primitive society to modern society) and smaller ethnic groups break from old customs and adapt to modern cultural habits and lifestyles, Nujiang prefecture has organized more than 30 activities, including Mandarin lessons and policy briefings through community service stations, volunteer teams, and CPPCC member workshops.

3. Rural Tourism: The golden business card of the countryside

Nujiang Prefecture is located in the core area of the "Three Parallel Rivers" World Natural Heritage site, and it harbors astonishing and enchanting natural landscapes such as the Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve, Laomudeng scenic area, Shiyueliang, Dulong River, Luoguqing and Qinghuadian Wetland Park. Additionally, the region is rich in cultural and historical sites.

Tourism is going to be the strategic leading industry driving the iterative upgrade of the prefecture's industries and promoting economic and social development.

What have they done?

Nujiang prefecture regarded bed and breakfast (B&B) tourism as a starting point. The first pilot areas include key rural tourism development regions such as Sanhe Village in Luzhang Town, Lushui City, Laomudeng Village in Pihe Township, Fugong County, Dulong River Township and Binzhongluo Town in Gongshan County, and Luoguqing Village in Tongdian Town, Lanping County. This approach has formed an industrial pattern that the integration of agriculture and tourism promotes each other.

Nujiang prefecture is vigorously developing ecological tourism, speeding up the construction of Dulong River Cultural Tourism Town and the creation of 5A-level scenic areas. Projects such as the Nujiang Beautiful Highway, the Dulong River Road Safety Project, and the overall enhancement of the Dulong River area are being promoted.

Nujiang prefecture actively introduces high-end development and operation entities, and is actively serving and integrating with national initiatives such as the "Belt and Road" initiative, the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, and the LancangMekong Sub-regional Cooperation.

What have they achieved?

A total of 1,288 agricultural operators are involved in linking farmers to markets, with 115 leading enterprises partnering with 524 cooperatives, which cover 98,100 households, account for 96.35% of the rural population.

During the 2025 Spring Festival, 366,100 tourists visited Nujiang, marking a 12.44% year-on-year increase. Total tourism expenditure reached 345.5155 million yuan, a 9.77% year-on-year increase, reflecting stable growth in both of tourist number and income.

4. The focus of eco-revitalization

Nujiang Prefecture is a national model for eco-civilization and one of the three global biodiversity centers. It is known as the "Valley of Health and Longevity," "Natural Oxygen Bar," "Natural Landscape Museum," and the "World's Species Gene Bank." The forest coverage rate reaches 67.77%, and the per capita water resource availability is 40,700 cubic meters.

In reccent years, Nujiang has successfully carved out a path where eco-industries drive income generation for farmers, eco-restoration enhances tourism quality, and eco-infrastructure facilitates coordinated regional development, whereby a win-win solution for poverty alleviation and environmental protection is found.

What have they done?

By developing distinctive industries and continuously optimizing the industrial structure, Nujiang has driven economic growth through forest cultivation, advancing the concepts of "ecological industrialization and industry ecologicalization."

Actions like dismantling sheds, clearing clutter, pollution control, housing regulation, and tree planting have been carried out as essential parts of the rural living environment improvement project.

The environmental protection and restoration strategy continues to follow the principles of "prohibiting and limiting development on the mountaintops, relocating and reverting at mid-mountain levels, and building and encouraging in river valleys." The industrial layout along the riverbanks has been adjusted accordingly.

What have they achieved?

Over the past 70 years, Nujiang prefecture has completed a total of 6,725,400 mu of afforestation, 2,344,200 mu of mountain closed for forest cultivation, and planted over 41.885 million trees.

Gongshan County has been awarded the title of "China's Natural Oxygen Bar," a national practice and innovation base for the instructions "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and a national pilot county for comprehensive ecological compensation. Villages such as Chongren in Laowo Township, Desheng in Tongdian Township, and Dayang in Hexi Township have been included in the Chinese Traditional Villages List.

5. Digital Empowerment: The new engine for rural revitalization

Nujiang prefecture, located in the Hengduan Mountain range, has a remote geographical location and complex natural conditions, presenting many challenges for the introduction and promotion of digital technology. The region's mountainous terrain and steep slopes make the construction and maintenance of network communication infrastructure particularly difficult.

However currently, in Nujiang, digital technology is accelerating the transformation of local production and living methods towards digitalization, intelligence, and sustainability.

What have they done?

Nujiang prefecture actively explores new pathways for using digital technology to drive poverty alleviation and has established a "Digital Nujiang" leadership team to strengthen decision-making on the major strategies, policies, and projects related to the development of the digital economy.

Nujiang Prefecture is accelerating the construction of 5G network and promoting the coverage of 5G base stations throughout the region. The prefecture is also improving high-speed data transmission networks between data centers.

The region is also promoting the digitalization of traditional industries, such as the non-ferrous industry and green energy industry, by encouraging enterprises to "cloudification and platformization" to enhance production efficiency.

E-commerce, life services, and social entertainment platforms are being invigorated, promoting a "production base + e-commerce" model and creating a live-streaming e-commerce ecosystem.

By applying new technologies, Nujiang is also advancing the construction of a smart city, with capabilities in 3D data rendering and analysis for urban planning, underground pipe network management, among other 3D digital applications.

What have they achieved?

As of September 2024, the region has built 2,174 5G base stations and 3,039 4G base stations, achieving 100% network coverage in the urban areas, county towns, townships, and administrative villages.

The coverage rate in natural villages has reached 96.1%, and digital infrastructure investment has increased by 20%.

Through "Farmers + Company + E-commerce Platform" model, Nujiang's unique agricultural products have been pushed to national markets, benefiting 560 tsaoko planting farmers in Fugong and Gongshan counties, generating a direct economic income of 27.5 million yuan. Additionally, the Nujiang tsaoko industry has developed 39 trademarks and 121 categories.

In healthcare, 22 hospitals in the region now use electronic medical records. Lushui City is a pilot site for the "Internet + Healthcare" service project, which promotes a unified "One Card" system for outpatient visits and integrates health information systems to allow online handling of outpatient, hospitalization, and rehabilitation services.

This article is excerpted from A New Outlook of Rural Revitalization – Exploration and Practices in Nujiang published by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS).

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