Facilities built for green, climate-resilient farming practices

A smart farming facility in a northern Chinese village is boosting efficiency, part of the country's efforts to stabilize and increase agricultural production.

Chinese supermarket chain Wumart runs a smart farm in Dongfeng Village in north China's Hebei Province.

The farm covers an area of 254 square meters, with a monthly output of up to about 1,900 kilograms of agricultural products.

Inside the facility, vegetables grow without soil, fertilizer, pesticides, or sunlight but with a nutrient solution and LED lighting.

Technicians use computers to monitor and control temperature, moisture, light, and other environmental factors, which increases production efficiency.

"First of all, it is closed so we can better control the temperature, carbon dioxide and humidity. And we can reduce labor costs as just one or two people can handle the work of a 180-square-meter facility like this one," said Wang Tao, a technician of Wumart Agriculture.

Currently, devices in the plant factory are powered by fossil fuel electricity, generating high operation costs.

Technicians said they are considering using sustainable energy instead to increase the farm's commercial operations.

"The electric bill is very high. Here, if all 41 shelves are in operation, our electricity bill will reach 18,000 yuan (about 2,850 U.S. dollars) for one day. If we can use green energy like solar and wind power, we can lower the electric bills, making it possible to promote the farm to more areas," said Lei You, a technician of Wumart Agriculture.