Remote Bayi village, nestled among cliffs in Henghe Tujia township, Chongqing, was busier than usual with farming activity.

The reason for the increased productivity was that its farming equipment has been recently mechanized and a bumper harvest is expected this autumn as a result.

Mechanized farming in China is no longer a novelty, but for "cliff villages" like Bayi that were once plagued by low productivity and difficult transportation, the development of mechanized operations holds exceptional value and significance.

Chongqing's northeastern township of Henghe, situated at the southern base of the Qiyue mountain range, is characterized by hills and numerous gullies.

And Bayi, on the northern border of Henghe near Hubei province, has an average altitude of over 1,000 meters. It consists of 652 households with a population of 1,949 people, of which 45 households and their farmland are situated on cliffs.

To enhance agricultural production, Bayi began to transform the once small, irregular and low-yield "chicken coop land" into high-yield, eco-friendly high-standard farmland suitable for large mechanical farming.

"The most challenging task is to break the villagers' ingrained notions about land boundaries, because for farmers, especially those seniors who have experienced food shortages, land is their lifeblood," said He Zhongkun, an official of Bayi village.

He and his colleagues negotiated with hundreds of households door-to-door and gathered feedback for months. So far, about 180 hectares of farmland have been paved, linked and made capable of handling high-tech and intelligent agricultural machinery such as harvesters, plowing machines and fertilization drones.

"The efficiency of cultivation has been boosted by 80 to 90 percent, and the per capita disposable income of the villagers is more than twice what it was," He said.

Through dividend sharing, land transfer and employment, local farmers are able to share the dividends brought by the development of the industry.

An oilseed-and-rice crop rotation method has been applied to expand the harvest. In April, 40 hectares of oilseed rape yielded a bumper harvest. Currently, 133 hectares of rice paddies are thriving and growing to their fullest potential.

High-altitude rice is highly sought-after in the market thanks to its rich nutrition and good taste, and various high-quality rice varieties have been demonstrated and planted, yielding about 7.5 metric tons per hectare, He said.

In April, apart from traditional cultivation of rice and oilseed rape, the locals also developed trial cultivation of 6.7 hectares of drought-resistant Chinese golden sunflowers.

This rare plant, with its flowers, fruits, roots, stems and leaves all possessing medicinal and edible value, is known for its economic value.

Since July, the flower has been yielding about 150 kilograms per hectare. Processed products such as flower tea and seed oil have been developed to boost farmers' incomes.

While mechanized operations have mostly replaced traditional manual labor, the local government is also encouraging farmers to work part-time at local companies transplanting seedlings, and weeding and sowing as needed, particularly during the busy farming season from March to May.

"I never expected to earn money by picking flowers," said 59-year-old local farmer Tan Kuixin.

Despite having a congenital limb disability, he can tend to golden sunflowers and earn extra money.

"In the past, it was difficult for us to navigate through our land, as it had been abandoned and overgrown with weeds and trees," said 62-year-old farmer Fang Shaoqing. "Now great changes have taken place in both the land's appearance and economic value."

Five years ago, Fang, who had been working in Shanghai for years, decided to return home.

He now serves as management staff at China Co-op Group Company's business in Bayi, mainly responsible for organizing and coordinating labor on local farmland, and can earn about 30,000 yuan ($4,200) a year.

Due to its picturesque surroundings and cool climate, the village has also flourished as an agritourism destination. Notably, the village, with almost half the population being Tujia ethnic people, has traditional ethnic minority elements. The opportunity to experience and learn about agricultural activities, including planting seedlings, harvesting rice and drying grains, has attracted many visitors.

In addition to every household having access to a paved road, the village also renovated a steep 2.6-kilometer road last year, making it easier for grain cargo trucks to zigzag along.

The road was hailed as the "Road to Happiness" by local people due to its significance in facilitating transportation and improving their well-being.

Contact the writers at dengrui@chinadaily.com.cn