Development status and typical models of eco-farms in Quzhou, Zhejiang, China

Eco-farms, which are major entities in agro-ecological practices, play an important role in promoting the green transformation and sustainable development of agriculture. This study systematically analyzed the development status, model characteristics, key technologies, and applicable conditions of 15 typical eco-farms in Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. Furthermore, the study discussed the experiences and challenges encountered with this farming model, and proposed recommendations and future prospects to provide references for regions or entities with similar ecological and economic conditions. Quzhou eco-farms demonstrated good performance in soil health management, ecological low-carbon technologies, and technical equipment application. Crop production farms optimized cultivation systems, substituted chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer, and planted green manure planting, resulting in an average soil organic matter content of 23.5 g∙kg⁻¹, whereas the local conventional soil organic matter content of citrus orchards was 8.3 g∙kg⁻¹. Livestock production farms adopted high-quality variety breeding and automatic 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 established a closed-loop system of “cropping−breeding−biogas−organic fertilizer” through a “technology-driven and ecological recycling” model, achieving “zero discharge” of agricultural waste, while creating jobs for local farmers and enhancing ecological and social benefits. However, challenges remained, including insufficient supervision of environmental pollution, simplistic application of ecological technologies, and low coordination between cropping and breeding systems. Recommendations include improving the quality control of waste recycling, systematically applying ecological technologies, utilizing digital tools for standardized production, and integrating agriculture with cultural and tourism industries to increase 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 completely realize their potential as core participants in the green agricultural transition.