A smart apiary supported by the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Kecheng district and operated by the Liqianwu village economic cooperative and Zhejiang Huaguyuan Apiculture Co Ltd has helped low-income farmers in Liqianwu village, Kecheng district, Quzhou increase their incomes.

Smart beehives are in an apiary in Liqianwu village, Kecheng district, Quzhou. [Photo/qz828.com]

The smart apiary is equipped with smart beehives that are powered by solar panels. The beehives automatically monitor and record data such as temperature, humidity, and honey production, making breeding much easier for farmers.

Since February, 130 boxes of beehives have been set in the smart apiary. The apiary provides 10 boxes of Chinese honeybees for each low-income farmer paired with Huaguyuan. Experts have been sent to the apiary to impart breeding knowhow.

During harvest time, Huaguyuan will purchase honey from low-income farmers at a price of 60 yuan ($9.02) per kilogram. This is expected to help increase their incomes by more than 7,200 yuan per year.

In addition, a mountain chicken breeding project carried out by the Yingpanshan Livestock and Poultry Cooperative in Kecheng district is expected to increase farmers' incomes by the end of this year.

Since March, the Yingpanshan Cooperative has been cooperating with low-income farmers in Qili township, Shiliang township and Shishi township to raise mountain chickens.

The chicken sheds were funded by the district's Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the villages. The Yingpanshan Cooperative provided farmers with 17,000 chickens and breeding techniques. It will will also purchase eggs, roosters and hens at above market price after low-income farmers cultivate them.

By November, 150 low-income farmers in Qili township, Shiliang township and Shishi township are expected to be able to earn about 1,000 yuan by selling eggs and roosters.