In 2024, the total sown area of crops in Tumd Right Banner, Baotou, reached 1.62 million mu (108,000 hectares), with plans to develop the banner's Weijun village into a core demonstration area for smart agriculture.

The banner is the largest agricultural region in Baotou and has received the national title of "Grain Production County" for the past 12 years.

The Chilechuan Modern Agricultural Industrial Park, located in the banner, trial plants pot Ganoderma lucidum – a type of fungus that has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine due to its various potential health benefits. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

In the fields of Weijun village, there is a "Smart House" where dense numbers on electronic screens monitor the entire process of maize cultivation, from plowing and planting to management and harvesting.

Qu Hongsheng, general manager of Inner Mongolia Zhongnong Weilai Technology Co, explained, "The meteorological module here analyzes production information, meteorological conditions, soil conditions, crop growth status, and harvest yield of major crops through integrated remote sensing and meteorological data. It provides data decision support for agricultural production deployment and promptly notifies responsible farmers with real-time monitoring data."

The agricultural machinery module is equipped with 350 precision seeders, enhanced with Beidou navigation for agricultural machinery autonomous driving systems and IoT communication modules. This setup allows for the real-time monitoring of seeding areas and per-mu seed quantities, improving the real-time, visual, and refined management of agricultural machinery services.

Local resident Chen Erlong remarked, "The system reduced the need for labor in irrigation. Now, the crops are growing well, and we expect to increase yields by 200-300 kilograms per mu."

In addition to the core demonstration area for smart agriculture, other advanced technologies and models such as soilless cultivation and integrated water and fertilizer management are also being implemented, leading the banner towards agricultural digitization.