Digital technology boosts precision cotton farming in Xinjiang

(ECNS) -- Vast stretches of high-standard cotton fields are showing strong growth, pointing to a promising harvest, in Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

At a digital agriculture innovation base for cotton farming in Manas County, the digital agriculture big-data platform is operating in real time, providing farmers with up-to-date information on field conditions.

The base has established an integrated smart agriculture system that combines satellite remote sensing, integrated water and fertilizer management, crop condition monitoring, an agricultural big-data platform and a mobile application.  

Together, these technologies enable dynamic field monitoring, precision farming operations and intelligent agricultural management throughout the entire production process.

Powered by intelligent decision-making algorithms, the system can analyze farming needs and provide scientific and standardized guidance throughout the cotton-growing cycle, from land preparation and planting to field management and harvesting. The system replaces traditional experience-based farming practices with more precise, data-driven decision-making.

Wang Qiang, a staff member at the digital agriculture demonstration site, said the county began large-scale pilot programs and demonstration projects covering tens of thousands of mu of farmland across multiple townships in 2022.

Chen Jun, a cotton grower in Manas County, said that farmers can use mobile devices or monitoring platforms to check field conditions in real time and issue irrigation commands remotely, greatly simplifying farming operations.

The application of digital technologies in agriculture has helped improve both the quality and efficiency of agricultural production while boosting farmers’ incomes, Chen said.

"We are not pursuing higher yields alone in promoting smart agriculture. We are also striving for greater intelligence, greener production and more sustainable development," Wang said.

(By Xu Jiawen)