XI’AN, China, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an presented its work in smart farm machinery and digital crop monitoring, while proposing cooperation with partner cities abroad on joint research, machinery demonstrations and exchanges of agricultural technicians.
Xi’an’s Huyi District is working to become a model for sustainable, circular farming
City agriculture officials laid out the proposals on Oct. 21 at a forum on technology and agriculture during the 2026 China International Friendship Cities Conference, held in Xi’an on Oct. 20-22.
Xi’an’s agricultural technology development draws on collaboration among research institutes, equipment manufacturers and farms. A major area of focus is on small, smart machinery designed to operate on terrain and plots that are difficult to manage with conventional equipment, such as hillsides, loess tablelands, greenhouses, and small, fragmented fields.
More than 89.7% of plowing, sowing and harvesting of major crops in Xi’an is now mechanized, according to the Xi’an Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The bureau also reported an agricultural science and technology progress contribution rate of more than 70%.
The city has also developed a smart agricultural monitoring platform that integrates satellite, aerial and ground-based sensing with the Internet of Things and AI. The platform monitors farmland conditions, soil moisture, crop growth and signs of pests and disease, enabling farmers to detect problems earlier. The city is also promoting smart drip irrigation systems that manage water and fertilizer delivery.
Currently, Xi’an has developed 10-billion-yuan ($1.4 billion) industry chains in dairy, vegetables and kiwifruit, and a 5-billion-yuan industry chain in grapes. To maintain quality across these industries, the city coordinates seed breeding, cultivation and processing, and uses smart testing and digital traceability systems to support quality control.
According to the introduction, Xi’an is also a national pilot city for whole-process quality control of high-quality specialty agricultural products. Its agricultural testing center is the only local body in China with five national authorizations for agricultural product testing.
The cooperation proposals build on Xi’an’s existing global connections in agricultural research and trade. The city hosts the Shaanxi center of the China-New Zealand Belt-and-Road Joint Laboratory on Kiwifruit, a bilateral research partnership. Kiwifruit, pomegranates, flowers and other specialty agricultural products from the city reach 26 countries and regions, with some transported via the China-Europe Railway Express freight service.
The Xi’an Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said the city hoped to use the forum to deepen agricultural cooperation. Its proposals included sharing experience in smart agriculture and digital rural development, carrying out smart machinery demonstrations and joint research, and supporting two-way learning and exchanges among agricultural technicians.
The bureau also called for exploring mutual recognition of agricultural product standards, expanding trade and developing markets for green agricultural products. Cooperation would reflect each partner city’s needs and circumstances, the bureau said.
The agriculture forum was one of four parallel forums at the conference, which drew more than 700 guests, including local government representatives from 61 countries. The other forums covered urban development, environmental protection and cultural heritage, with participants signing a series of friendship city and cooperation agreements.
Xi’an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, has 42 friendship cities in 35 countries and 73 friendly exchange cities in 44 countries. It has worked with partners on urban planning, heritage protection, resilience and technology through platforms including the Euro-Asia Economic Forum, United Cities and Local Governments, and the League of Historical Cities.