Lishui, a city in East China's Zhejiang province, is using its ecological assets to boost rural prosperity, achieving the fastest growth in rural residents' per capita disposable income in the province for the 16th consecutive year in 2024.

The city has transformed its natural resources into economic capital. The Qingtian county's rice-fish co-culture system, a global agricultural heritage, has standardized operations across over 466 hectares, adding over 50 million yuan ($6.95 million) to the local economy.

Jinyun county's innovative "jiaobai-duck symbiosis" model has formed a complete industrial value chain, with a total output of 1.9 billion yuan, benefiting 50,000 farmers. Jiaobai is also known as wild rice stems.

Qingyuan county's forest-mushroom co-culture system has boosted the edible mushroom industry's total output to 5.8 billion yuan, benefiting 40,000 workers. Jingning county's innovative moss cultivation also has offered new income streams for rural residents.

The tea industry booms in Songyang county, Lishui. [Photo/WeChat account: wbzjsy001]

Focusing on upgrades throughout the industry, Lishui has promoted the comprehensive development of quality agriculture. For example, Songyang county's tea industry reached a total output of 14.5 billion yuan, significantly increasing the incomes of 100,000 tea farmers.

Lishui's "rural prosperity companies" unify villages' natural resources, transforming them into assets and villagers into shareholders. By 2024, these companies covered all 9 counties (including county-level cities and districts), with assets nearing 8 billion yuan and profits of 596 million yuan.

Additionally, innovative mobile supply and sales models and urban-rural integration initiatives have further enhanced incomes of rural residents.