Science and technology courtyard brings expertise to farmers in Beijing

In the greenhouse of a science and technology courtyard in Majuqiao town, Tongzhou district, Beijing, Jiang Xiaowen, a postgraduate student at China Agricultural University moves through the rows of vegetables with her teammates, harvesting produce. She recalls that when they first arrived, local farmers were skeptical about their farming methods.

To speed up the transformation of research findings into practical applications, Professor Wu Xueming from the university, who is head of the science and technology courtyard, closely monitors every stage of the work. In addition to providing remote guidance, he visits the site in person at least twice a month to assess progress on-site.

Students manage melon vines in the greenhouse of a science and technology courtyard in Majuqiao town, Tongzhou district, Beijing. (People's Daily Online/Li Bo)

Previously, Jiang and her teammates had to collect soil samples in the field and send them to the laboratory for analysis—a slow and inefficient process that couldn't guarantee the reliability of data.

After learning this, Professor Wu arranged for university technicians to install smart devices such as soil sensors in the greenhouse, greatly boosting the students' efficiency. The precise data also provides robust technical support for their research.

Photo shows a smart agricultural device in the greenhouse of a science and technology courtyard in Majuqiao town, Tongzhou district, Beijing. (People's Daily Online/Li Bo)

When the courtyard's vegetables such as crinkled-leaf greens, broccolini, and chicory started selling successfully, the farmers began to appreciate the true value of its methods.

Winning the farmers' trust has made the students feel their work truly matters.

"We bring knowledge and technology directly to the courtyard to help local farmers solve practical problems. By introducing the university's and lab's high-quality crop varieties into the fields, we turn scientific research into tangible results and play our part in rural revitalization," Jiang said.

Photo shows tomatoes in the greenhouse of a science and technology courtyard in Majuqiao town, Tongzhou district, Beijing. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Majuqiao town is now developing Beijing's first regional cluster of science and technology courtyards.

Beyond the two existing courtyards focused on smart agriculture and flower and plant seedlings, new science and technology courtyards are planned for areas such as logistics and e-commerce, digital fisheries, and fruit cultivation.

According to a three-year action plan for science and technology courtyards supporting rural revitalization, Beijing aims to establish 100 such courtyards.

A lecture is given to local villagers by a member of the science and technology courtyard in Majuqiao town, Tongzhou district, Beijing. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)