Abstract:
Eco-farms, as major entities engaged in agroecological practices, play an important role in promoting green transformation and sustainable development of agriculture. This study systematically analyzes the development status, model characteristics, key technologies, and applicable conditions of 15 eco-farms of different types in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province, discusses their experiences and challenges, and proposes recommendations and future prospects, aiming to provide references for regions or entities with similar ecological and economic conditions. We find that Quzhou eco-farms demonstrate good performance in soil health management, ecological low-carbon technologies, and the application of technical equipment. Crop production farms, through optimized cultivation systems, organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer, and green manure planting, achieved an average soil organic matter content of 23.5 g∙kg
−1, while the local conventional soil organic matter content of citrus orchards is 8.3 g∙kg
−1. Livestock production farms adopted high-quality variety breeding, automated production, enhanced disease control management, and manure recycling, resulting in a 27.9% reduction in antimicrobial use in pig farming and a 100% comprehensive utilization rate of manure. Integrated crop-livestock farms have established a closed-loop system of “cropping-breeding-biogas-organic fertilizer” through a “technology-driven and ecological recycling” model, achieving “zero discharge” of agricultural wastes, while creating jobs for local farmers and enhancing ecological and social benefits. However, challenges remain, including insufficient environmental pollution supervision, simplistic application of ecological technologies, and low coordination between cropping and breeding systems. Recommendations include improving the quality control of wastes recycling, systematically applying ecological technologies, utilizing digital tools for standardized production, and integrating agriculture with cultural and tourism industries to enlarge economic returns. In the future, eco-farms could leverage opportunities through market-driven strategies, forming technology and product alliances, and exploring ecological compensation mechanisms to fully realize their potential as core participants for agricultural green transition.