Grain output surpasses 1.15 million tons for the first time, vegetable output is expected to exceed 1 million tons, and cloned yaks thrive healthily on the plateau at an altitude of 4,300 meters... During the deep winter, the plateau's characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry industries have delivered impressive results.

Behind these figures lies a clear and tangible logical chain. The Party committee and government of Xizang Autonomous Region have been managing "local specialties" as "major industries," leveraging technology to boost production capacity, using leading enterprises to drive efficiency, and promoting income growth through the integration of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. This has forged the plateau's characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry industries into a "stabilizing anchor" and "source of vitality" for rural revitalization across the region.

Seeking production capacity from technology: Turning shortcomings intospringboards

Farming and animal husbandry on the plateau face inherent challenges due to the "high altitude, cold temperatures, oxygen deficiency, and poor soil fertility," with technology being the greatest variable. Xizang autonomous region has designated "relying on technology to transform production methods" as the primary option for upgrading and improving the quality of agriculture and animal husbandry. It empowers agricultural modernization with digital technology, constructing a development pattern of "one core leading, with full-region linkage".

In 2025, the region's highland barley output reached 905,000 tons; 566,000 mu (about 377.33km²) of land was sown for grass in the first three quarters; livestock inventory stood at 19.93 million head; and the output of meat, eggs, and milk increased by 10.6% year-on-year.

The gradual transition of the highland barley industry in Gyangze County, Xigaze City, from traditional rough processing to intensive and deep processing serves as an exemplary case. Through research breakthroughs by institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Jiangnan University, modification technology for highland barley flour has achieved significant progress. "New products like highland barley zongzi and highland barley popcorn sell out almost instantly upon launch," said Kong Jinqiu,  head of the Gyangze County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, with evident pride. It is estimated that the total output value of the county's highland barley deep processing industry will exceed 170 million yuan this year, a year-on-year increase of 21%.

This "field-to-tongue" technological revolution represents a vital pathway for rural revitalization and farmer income growth in Xizang. While other regions compete on "yield per mu," Xizang focuses on "industrial output efficiency in high-altitude regions," allowing information to travel further to drive innovation in production methods. The extreme environment has instead become an advantage, fostering a source of nationally original technologies.

Seeking efficiency from leading enterprises: Turning commodities into premium products

The root cause of agricultural products "not fetching high prices" lies in the "lack of leading enterprises, short industrial chains, and weak brands." Leading enterprises can swiftly upgrade the scattered and weak production model into an efficient and intensive "chain-leading economy".

In response,this year's Government Work Report called for "accelerating the high-quality and efficient development of agriculture and animal husbandry," "promoting the quality and efficiency improvement of farmers' professional cooperatives, deepening the creation of demonstration family farms, and cultivating 20 new agricultural and animal husbandry business entities." Currently, Xizang has 187 agricultural and animal husbandry industrialization leading enterprises at or above the municipal level, including 17 at the national level and 32 at the autonomous region level.

In recent years, Xizang has expanded support for leading enterprises through a combination of policy incentives, brand cultivation, and investment attraction. On the one hand, it has introduced implementation rules for "rewards instead of subsidies," providing financial support for key links such as creation, expansion, and marketing. The first batch of 26 business entities has received 15.98 million yuan in rewards, and the second batch of rewards is currently being distributed. On the other hand, it has organized investment attraction activities such as the "Visit to Xizang by Leading Enterprises in Agricultural Industrialization" and the "Highland Barley Industry Development Conference," attracting the signing of 22 projects with a total investment of 2.293 billion yuan, of which 165 million yuan has already been implemented.

In addition, the region has simultaneously promoted agricultural standardization, having certified 514 products under categories such as green food, organic food, geographical indication agricultural products, and famous, special, high-quality, and new agricultural products, and issued 60 local standards, laying a solid foundation for high-quality industrial development.

Seeking income from integration: Turning production areas into scenic spots

In recent years, Sangri County has planted 9,600 mu (about 6.4km²) of grapes on formerly barren land along the Yarlung Zangbo River, established the Pazhu Vinyard, and formed an integrated industrial chain from planting and brewing to tourism. This development has, in turn, spurred growth in surrounding sectors such as handicraft sales and hot spring tourism. The transformation from barren land into a verdant oasis serves as a concrete example of the effective integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries within Xizang's agriculture and animal husbandry sector.

Comai Village in Doilungdeqen District, Lhasa City, adopted a model combining "agriculture and animal husbandry + handicrafts + cultural and tourism industries," resulting in a village's collective economic income of 1.09 million yuan last year and a per capita income of 26,000 yuan. Qangkyim Village in Qonggyai County, Shannan City, centered its development around the highland barley wine industry, integrating homestays and cultural and tourism experiences, achieving an average annual growth of 26% in collective economy and surpassing 300,000 yuan in 2024. The integration of the three industries is not simply addition but multiplication: transforming the ecology into scenery, culture into performances, and farmers into shareholders. The plateau's characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry industries have found a sustainable development path that "avoids environmental damage and prevents out-migration," truly turning "production areas" into "scenic spots."

The development path of the plateau's characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry once again verifies: rural revitalization hinges on industrial vitality, and plateau prosperity hinges on transforming "local specialties" into "major industries".

Standing at a new starting point, the plateau's characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry industries will continue to sketch a magnificent vision across the highlands that of "thriving industries, prosperous people, and beautiful countryside," thereby contributing their unique "plateau experience" to building an agricultural powerhouse.

Reporter: Li Meiying

Intern Reporter: Tang Yanping

Translator: Luo Rongting, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Li Chengye