On October 16, 2023, in the late autumn season, we visited the camellia oil base in Liban Village, Jiangyi Town, Gongqing City, Jiangxi Province. The landscape was breathtaking, with flourishing camellia trees bearing vibrant red and green fruits, while lively Taihe black chickens frolicked beneath the trees.
“After more than a year of transformation, this year the average yield of camellia fruit can exceed 1,000 pounds per acre, with some areas reaching over 1,200 pounds,” said Zhong Huan, a graduate student in ecology at Nanchang University. “Previously, the planting density of the camellia forest was too high, but through reasonable planting density adjustments, soil improvement, and intercropping techniques, we have significantly increased the yield. We expect that by the third year, the yield will reach 1,300 pounds per acre.”
In March 2023, Liban Village partnered with Nanchang University, signing a framework cooperation agreement to invite a doctoral research team specializing in camellia oil. The team is dedicated to conducting research and providing technical training in the village weekly, applying the latest research findings directly in the camellia orchards.
To further enhance the utilization of camellia forests, Associate Researcher Zhang Jian and his team continuously explored innovative practices, ultimately introducing a batch of high-quality Taihe black chickens for trial farming.
“Raising black chickens under the camellia trees not only helps control pests and diseases but also improves soil structure and boosts economic returns,” Zhang explained, breaking down the economics. “With an acre of camellia trees producing 60 pounds of oil and 20 Taihe black chickens being raised, each acre can generate at least 8,000 yuan in economic benefits.”
Li Zhen, the Party Secretary of Liban Village, shared that with the technical support from the Nanchang University camellia team, the village has established a complete camellia industry chain. The camellia planting area spans over 1,500 acres, significantly increasing the average income for local households by over 3,000 yuan, with the village’s collective economic income surpassing 500,000 yuan in 2023.
Looking ahead, the Nanchang University camellia team plans to provide comprehensive guidance on camellia planting techniques, marketing, and farming models through hands-on training and community education initiatives. They aim to build a “high-value camellia ecological farming demonstration base,” ensuring that their research and innovations benefit the local economy.
Guo Shifa, the Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Gongqing City Committee, noted that universities are a vital resource for talent in promoting rural revitalization. He emphasized the goal to further integrate university resources to create a unified “school-region cooperation” brand, developing new platforms for non-Party intellectuals in universities to grow and contribute to the socio-economic development of Gongqing City.
