In the mountainous county of Zhenxiong in southwest China's Yunnan Province, a regional public brand is helping turn local ecological resources and cultural heritage into new sources of economic growth.
Like many mountainous counties, Zhenxiong has faced challenges in overcoming geographical barriers and increasing the commercial value of its agricultural products. Finding ways to connect local resources with markets and translate them into tangible benefits for residents has become a key priority.
Through the development of Chishuiyuanpin, Zhenxiong is moving beyond the traditional approach of simply selling agricultural products. The county is integrating ecological conservation, entrepreneurship among returning residents, ethnic culture and distinctive industrial chains, while connecting the process from resource protection and agricultural production to deep processing and brand promotion. This approach aims to strengthen local industries, increase farmers' incomes and deliver greater value to consumers.
Environmental protection underpins brand development
As the source area of the Chishui River, Zhenxiong has made environmental protection a central part of its development strategy. Following years of watershed management, the Chishui River in Zhaotong, where Zhenxiong is located, was recognized as an outstanding example in China's national initiative to develop beautiful rivers and lakes. Water quality at the watershed's downstream exit section has remained at Grade II under China's surface water quality standards, while biodiversity continues to recover.
Ma Lie, deputy county head of Zhenxiong, said the county was working to align agricultural development with ecological conservation, treating environmental standards as a foundation for the regional brand.
The Chishuiyuanpin Production Standards specify 56 control indicators, including requirements for environmentally responsible farming and breeding. Some pesticide residue limits are stricter than national standards. Ten major agricultural sectors, including bamboo shoots, pork, chili peppers and white tea, have been incorporated into the brand's framework.
The county has also established a green food processing park to encourage local businesses to move beyond selling unprocessed agricultural products and capture more value through processing and branding.
Bamboo is a major example of how this approach can benefit local communities. Zhenxiong has established 1.045 million mu of Chimonobambusa quadrangularis cultivation, of which 450,000 mu is currently in production. The industry benefits more than 160,000 households, reaching over 620,000 people and increasing per capita income by approximately 500 yuan.
Under a business model linking enterprises, production bases, cooperatives and farmers, the county aims to ensure that higher product quality and stronger brand recognition translate into tangible gains for rural households.
Ma said Zhenxiong had established a closed-loop management system for Chishuiyuanpin, with strict requirements governing both access to the brand and the continued use of its authorization. Businesses seeking to use the brand must undergo reviews covering their production bases, quality control systems, product traceability and business credit. Only those that meet the required standards are granted authorization.
Authorization is not permanent. According to Ma, businesses that fail to maintain compliance are called in for discussions and required to rectify problems. Those that continue to fall short of the standards may ultimately have their authorization revoked.
Under this system, the government sets standards, supervises compliance and provides a platform for brand promotion, while enterprises focus on production and product development. Quality is safeguarded through three layers of checks: companies conduct their own inspections, industry organizations arrange testing, and relevant government departments carry out random inspections. Traceability is maintained throughout the entire process, from cultivation and livestock breeding to processing and distribution.
Ma emphasized that the ultimate measure of the system's effectiveness was whether farmers could share in the added value generated by the brand. To this end, enterprises authorized to use Chishuiyuanpin are required to establish direct links with local production bases and farmers, purchase agricultural products at guaranteed prices, create nearby employment opportunities and encourage farmers to earn dividends by contributing land-use rights to businesses or cooperatives.
These measures are intended to ensure that the economic benefits generated by the brand reach ordinary rural households, providing farmers with more stable income and a greater stake in local industrial development.
Ma said the county would continue to use Chishuiyuanpin as a central platform for integrating agriculture with other industries, expanding into national markets and strengthening long-term mechanisms that connect businesses with farmers. The goal, he added, was to translate the county's natural advantages into tangible economic gains for residents while improving rural livelihoods.
Cultural heritage creates new opportunities for rural tourism
While robust standards underpin the quality of its products, Zhenxiong's rich revolutionary history and traditional folk arts give Chishuiyuanpin a distinctive cultural identity. Rather than limiting the role of a regional public brand to guaranteeing agricultural quality, the county is exploring its local cultural resources in greater depth, expanding the brand's appeal beyond agricultural products alone.
The former headquarters of the Red Army's Second and Sixth Corps during the Wumeng Mountains campaign, located in Baliu Village, Changba Town in Zhenxiong, offers a glimpse into the area's rich history. Commonly known as Sanhetou, the stone-walled, timber-framed residence with a thatched roof was designated a provincial-level cultural heritage site in Yunnan in 2019. The building preserves memories of the Red Army's manoeuvres through the Wumeng Mountains, providing a historical foundation for the county's regional brand.
Daguli Scenic Area in Zhenxiong demonstrates how cultural heritage can generate economic benefits for rural communities. Here, traditional craftsmanship coexists with rural homestays and farm restaurants, attracting many returning residents and local artisans to establish their businesses. A local wood carving artisan noted that the development of local cultural identity must not be driven by short-term commercial interests, and that preserving its original character should always come first. Under Chishuiyuanpin, this cultural heritage is incorporated into rural tourism through Miao customs and wood carving experiences. By integrating agriculture, culture and tourism, Zhenxiong aims to deliver sustained benefits to village collectives and provide local residents with more stable sources of income.
Revolutionary heritage, ethnic traditions, historic villages and agricultural products such as bamboo shoots, chili peppers and Wujin pigs together form a distinctive narrative for Chishuiyuanpin. Zhenxiong uses its agricultural brand as a gateway to showcase the county's broader strengths, with ecology as its foundation, industry as its backbone, and revolutionary history and ethnic culture as its defining character. Visitors can admire traditional wood carving, sample agricultural products marketed under Chishuiyuanpin and stay in rural homestays. In the bamboo forests, they can harvest bamboo shoots and enjoy the mountain scenery. By connecting agricultural production, cultural experiences and tourism, Zhenxiong is turning local cultural heritage from something primarily displayed in museums into an asset that generates lasting economic value and benefits rural communities.
Extending value chains and attracting returning entrepreneurs
Strengthening local processing capacity is essential to improving farmers' earnings. Many agricultural products have traditionally been sold after only limited processing, leaving much of the value added elsewhere. Zhenxiong is therefore encouraging businesses to develop more complete production chains, reduce seasonal price fluctuations and create employment closer to farming communities.
At a bamboo shoot processing facility in the county, Shen Chenglong, general manager of Xurun Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., said the company was developing an integrated bamboo shoot business built around contracted purchases and local processing.
Bamboo shoots are highly seasonal, making growers vulnerable to price volatility and limited processing capacity. By purchasing produce directly from farmers and extending processing activities, the company aims to stabilize incomes and develop higher-value products. The Chishuiyuanpin platform also provides an avenue for expanding product categories and market access.
Local processing creates opportunities for both bamboo growers and workers returning to their hometowns. Residents can earn income from harvesting while also taking up jobs at nearby factories, allowing rural resources to support multiple income streams.
Returning entrepreneurs are playing a similar role in other agricultural sectors. Yuan Xinfu, chairman of Yunnan Jiusheng Jingnong Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., has invested in local agricultural products including konjac, gastrodia elata, waxy corn and bamboo shoots.
Yuan said the region's high-altitude growing conditions, together with local entrepreneurship support, Shanghai-Yunnan cooperation programs and assistance from China Minmetals, had helped strengthen the case for returning home to start a business.
His company prioritizes hiring people from formerly impoverished households and residents with limited employment opportunities, providing practical training to help workers acquire the skills needed for production. Farmers can earn wages in processing facilities or grow raw materials for the company, offering greater flexibility for those who also have family responsibilities.
The Nieluping industrial park, which supports residents relocated through poverty alleviation programs, offers another employment model. Through a combination of an industrial park and community-based workshops, businesses can establish operations close to relocated households, allowing residents to work near home. Links with Chishuiyuanpin and local agricultural processing are intended to strengthen employment opportunities and support more stable incomes.
External partnerships strengthen local industries
Local entrepreneurship is being reinforced by targeted assistance from outside organizations. Zhang Huahui, a member of the Standing Committee of the Zhenxiong County Committee of the Communist Party of China and deputy county head, has been seconded from China Minmetals to support development in the county.
Zhang said the priority was to build on local resources while addressing gaps in processing, branding and sales, helping agricultural products move up the value chain.
China Minmetals has supported Zhenxiong in several areas, including standardized processing facilities, marketing through commercial networks, risk management mechanisms such as insurance combined with futures, vocational training and the development of regional branding and rural tourism.
These efforts are designed to complement local initiatives in environmental management, agricultural production and cultural preservation. By combining external resources with local capabilities, Zhenxiong hopes to build industries that can sustain themselves over the long term.
Building a brand around shared prosperity
From the historic site of the Red Army's Wumeng Mountains campaign and the source of the Chishui River to bamboo shoot harvesting grounds and production lines in industrial parks, Chishuiyuanpin is taking shape through concrete industrial initiatives. The experiences of leading enterprises, bamboo farmers and returning workers show how the brand connects ecological resources, agricultural production and processing with local livelihoods. Zhenxiong's experience demonstrates that a regional public brand depends on more than promotion: it requires sound standards, integrated industrial chains and mechanisms that link enterprises with farmers and share the benefits of development.
Chishuiyuanpin offers a practical model for unlocking the economic value of ecological resources. By protecting water sources, developing the bamboo shoot industry, revitalizing traditional craftsmanship and creating opportunities for returning workers, Zhenxiong has integrated ecological conservation, industrial development and cultural heritage into rural revitalization. Its approach combines a strong ecological foundation, extended industrial chains, local talent and coordinated support to generate tangible benefits for rural communities.
【责编：许伟伟 来源：网络】