Drought-tolerant chickpeas have awakened Nileke's arid fields, black bees work industriously among the seas of flowers, and salmon that swim in the county's cold waters have found their way to dinner tables nationwide. This new abundance of produce and source of local livelihoods is the result of Nileke's efforts to drive rural revitalization.

Gold from dry land 

Under the blazing sun in July, Subutai Township in Nileke County was carpeted with a rolling sea of golden yellow. A 2-hectare chickpea test field there carried a special mission. Although chickpeas are naturally drought-tolerant and hardy in poor soils, achieving high and stable yields in Nileke has been no easy feat. The crop may look rugged, but in fact it is delicate, and most varieties of the chickpea family struggle to adapt to the particular climate in the Ili River Valley.

"The test planting was very successful!" said Luo Zhijun, General Manager of Ili Jiuxin Green Agriculture Development Co. Ltd., which is running the field test. According to Luo, after carefully screening more than 30 varieties, three high‑quality chickpea varieties were found to excel in the local environment. 

Through coordination with Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, modern agricultural technologies have been introduced to increase efficiency, and net profits from growing the chickpeas in Nileke can exceed 4,500 yuan ($632) per hectare.

The most immediate beneficiaries from the introduction of chickpeas are local farmers. Village resident Musal Jelil now has a job close to home. "I can now earn about 140 yuan ($19) a day here, while taking care of my elders and my cattle and sheep. It's very convenient," he said.

Black bee honey 

Black bees are a subspecies of honeybee that is native to Ili, and therefore perfectly adapted to thrive on the region's native flowering plants. Nileke is home to a variety of ecosystems supporting 270 nectar-bearing plant species. Locals compare the black bee honey to New Zealand's manuka honey, but note that while manuka derives its well-known benefits from one single flowering plant, Nileke's honey carries the benefits of many rare medicinal herbs such as fleece flower, motherwort and thyme, which grow in abundance.

For beekeepers who have lived here for generations, beekeeping is a way to coexist with nature and also a way of making a living. "Currently, I have more than 200 bee hives, each weighing about 15 kg, amounting to roughly 3 tons in total. The honey is sold mainly through offline retail and online live-streaming platforms, and several companies have also come to purchase honey," said Nileke local Wang Huiqin. Having kept bees for a decade, Wang has witnessed the sector's shift from household-based operation to collaborative, cooperative-based growth.

Today the total number of bee colonies in the county exceeds 60,000, producing 1,200 tons of honey per year. Through collaboration with 14 professional cooperatives, 504 beekeepers have achieved an average annual income of 37,000 yuan ($5,204) per person.

Salmon nourished by glacier water 

The Chinese demand for high-quality protein and anti-inflammatory foods has been growing in recent years, and salmon is becoming increasingly popular. Previously seen as an expensive imported delicacy, particularly in Xinjiang which is far away from the coast, salmon has become far more accessible thanks to technology and rural development.

Relying on the cold water produced by glacial melt from the surrounding mountains, Nileke has become the core production area for high-quality salmon in China. The fish grow up "drinking Tianshan mineral water," resulting in firm and flavorful flesh.

The modern agricultural industrial zone in Nileke County has already developed a comprehensive industrial chain of production, processing, science and technology research, branding and marketing, and has obtained global certifications, including for food safety and antibiotic-free production. According to Li Xinpeng, Deputy Director of Nileke County Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the county has built up salmon brands with local characteristics.

The industry's rise has not only shattered the monopoly of imported salmon, but also turned freshness into its greatest competitive edge. With an efficient cold-chain logistics network, a freshly caught salmon can travel across the country and appear on the tables of Shanghai and Beijing in as little time as 24 hours.

Currently, Nileke County's salmon production stands at 6,000 tons annually, and is forecast to account for 30 percent of China's raw aquatic market in the future. Next, Nileke will continue boosting its capacity in aquaculture, ratchet up green development, and extend the salmon supply chain and make it more rooted in ecological concepts.

The three-dimensional "land-water-air" agricultural production model in Nileke demonstrates the concept of clear waters and lush mountains being as valuable as gold and silver. The snow and meltwater from the Tianshan Mountains not only nourishes local agriculture, but also paves a modern path that balances ecological protection with high-quality development.

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