Located at an average altitude of over 4,400 meters, Saga CountyinXigaze City,southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region,has long been constrained by its harsh, oxygen-deficient environment and barren land. This has limited local farmers and herders to barley cultivation and livestock farming, resulting a monolithic industrial structure, limited income channels and slow development.

To change this backward situation and boost incomes, Saga County has embraced an industrial development approach focused on being "small yet distinctive, small yet refined, and small yet superior." The county has deeply cultivated three major specialty industries: "ecological grass," "golden grass," and "characteristic grass." These seemingly ordinary plateau plants have taken root and thrived, connecting into chains that bring new vitality to plateau villages. A revitalization blueprint featuring thriving industries, ecological beauty, and prosperous farmers and herders is steadily unfolding.

Cultivating "ecological grass" to preserve the plateau's vitality

On the plateau, ecology serves as the foundation, industry as the support, and income growth as the goal.

In Saga, forage grass has a special name—"supporting grass." It sustains steady livestock production and income while also acting as "ecological grass," conserving soil and water and safeguarding the plateau's ecological security.

According to records, Saga's grasslands were once unevenly distributed, with herders relying on nature for grazing. Shortages of winter-spring forage made it difficult for livestock to survive the cold season, resulting in low breeding efficiency. To address these problems, Saga County prioritized forage planting as a foundational industry. By coordinating land use, promoting scientific cultivation, and improving storage systems, the county has established a new pattern of "coordinated grass and livestock, integrated planting and breeding, and steady development."

The data is compelling. Since large-scale development began in 2023, the county's artificial forage planting area has remained stable at over 50,000 mu(about 33.33 kilometers) annually, with output value rising year after year. This grass has firmly stabilized the county's agricultural and livestock development base.

Behind this industrial boom lies tangible benefits for local people. In 2025, Saga County's forage industry paid out 7.36 million yuan(RMB) in land transfer fees, with projects covering multiple administrative villages. The full industrial chain has driven 11,800 person-times of employment in planting, management, and harvesting, benefiting 2,552 households. Village collective economies have continued to grow, with a single cooperative's annual revenue exceeding 3 million yuan(RMB). Meanwhile, the mechanization rate of the forage industry exceeds 85%, liberating a large workforce and allowing surplus residents to gradually shift to secondary and tertiary industries, broadening their income channels.

Even more commendable are the significant ecological protection achievements. Large-scale artificial grasslands stabilize soil, conserve water, and prevent wind and sand erosion, effectively reducing grazing pressure on natural pastures and allowing degraded grasslands to recover. This virtuous cycle of "industry prosperity and ecological beauty" is now evident. Saga has formed a complete industrial chain covering forage breeding, planting, harvesting, storage, and livestock application. One "ecological grass" strengthens the plateau's ecological barrier and consolidates the foundation of rural industries.

Developing "golden grass" to secure steady happiness for locals

In Chaxiu Town, Saga County, vast quinoa fields stretch across the land, with golden fertile fields nurturing new hopes of prosperity for local residents. To address the low fertility of some plots, where traditional crops struggle to grow steadily, Saga County introduced quinoa—a crop resistant to barrenness and drought and well-suited to high-altitude conditions—transforming previously idle, thin lands into income-generating farmland.

In 2023, leveraging pairedassistancefrom Shanghai, Saga County brought in Zhongli Hi-Tech (Saga) Co., Ltd., adopting a "company + base + farmer" model. Through land transfers and order-based cooperation, the county integrated land resources from eight administrative villages in Chaxiu Town to promote large-scale, high-standard quinoa cultivation, turning idle land into appreciating assets.

Land transfers not only bring stable returns but also enable local residents to earn incomes near their homes. Nyima Tashi, a villager from Saigui Village, Chaxiu Town, once struggled to support his 10-member family through traditional farming. Since working at the quinoa planting base and taking on agricultural machinery operations, he alone earns an additional 50,000to 60,000 yuan(RMB) a year, significantly improving the family's living standards. "Wasteland now grows 'golden crops,'" Nyima Tashi said joyfully. "I can earn money while taking care of my family right at home. Life is getting better every day."

Each quinoa plant not only revitalizes idle land but also securely supports local residents' income hopes, becoming "golden grass" in their hands.

Cultivating "characteristic grass" to enhance the county'sindustrial brand

On the plateau in April, spring chill still lingers. Yet inside Saga County's saffron greenhouses, it is warm and cozy. The saffron is in its vegetative growth phase, with patches of Rehmannia blooming vibrantly in shades of pink and purple, full of life. With technical assistance from Shanghai's paired-up aid program, Saga County has established a standardized saffron large-scale cultivation base, filling an industry gap in high-altitude, high-quality saffron planting.

Dorbula, the base's technical director, is a locally grown expert. He once made a living growing barley. In 2023, he traveled to Shanghai to learn saffron cultivation techniques. After returning, he immersed himself in the greenhouses, diligently studying temperature and humidity control, field management, bulb cultivation, and harvesting and processing. Step by step, he became a skilled professional. Today, he not only manages the base's planting but also teaches himself live-stream e-commerce and voluntarily shares his technical knowledge with fellow villagers, helping more people gain skills and secure stable employment.

The saffron industry offers flexible employment and significantly boosts incomes. During planting and harvest seasons, the base hires nearby villagers, with daily employment peaking at 30to 50 people. Tsering, a villager from Langbajie Village, has worked at the base for nearly three years. "I earn 180 yuan(RMB) a day," he said. "It helps support my family while allowing me to care for them and learn new skills." After four years of cultivation, Saga County's saffron industry has matured. Locally cultivated saffron contains active ingredients that exceed national standards. The county has extended the industrial chain by introducing products such as saffron herbal slices, health gift boxes, and facial masks, establishing a full "planting + processing + sales" model. In 2025, the base achieved 400,000 yuan(RMB) in revenue after deducting operating costs.The success of saffron, a "characteristic grass," is no exception. Another "characteristic grass"—Tibetan medicinal herbs—has also taken root in Saga. In 2022, Saga County partnered with Xizang Yuzheng Health Technology Co., Ltd. and Xizang Jinlun Tibetan Medicine Development Co., Ltd. to launch large-scale artificial cultivation of Tibetan herbs. Starting with pilot projects, then expanding, and finally optimizing, the county grew over 1,200 mu(0.8 kilometers) of Tibetan herbs between 2022 and 2023, selecting adaptable varieties. The area expanded to 1,929 mu in 2024 and was optimized to 1,329 mu(0.886 kilometers) in 2025, forming a cultivation system dominated by Tangut rhubarb, burdock, and Tibetan costus. The companies have developed standard operating procedures for artificially cultivating 12 Tibetan herb varieties, ensuring standardized and regulated planting. Over 60 farmers and herders have become field management "local experts." The county has completed a comprehensive survey of Tibetan medicinal herb resources, cataloging over 100 wild species and establishing a complete resource database. To date, the Tibetan herb industry has generated over 5.5 million yuan(RMB) in direct income for local residents through land transfers, base employment, and machinery rentals.

"Ecological grass" solidifies the foundation, "golden grass" revitalizes resources, and "characteristic grass" empowers long-term development. In Saga's rural revitalization practice, these three "fortune grasses" each play a unique role, complementing one another: forage grass secures the county's agricultural and livestock foundation and people's basic livelihoods, quinoa activates idle resources for rapid income growth, and saffron and Tibetan herbs build distinctive brands and provide sustainable wealth-building support. Saga County's experience demonstrates that the key to plateau rural revitalization lies not in planting expensive crops, but in planting the right crops. By leveraging resource endowments without blindly following trends, and deeply cultivating specialized industries without seeking quick success, Saga is making every "fortune grass" work thoroughly and sustainably—ensuring that local people's lives improve day by day.

Reporter: Tenzin Namse, Hu Rongguo, Yang Ziyan, Wang Li, Tseji, Tenzin Karmar

Translator: Zheng Yujie, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Drakpa Wangchen