Longxian village in Lishui, Zhejiang province, is renowned as the birthplace of the Qingtian rice-fish symbiotic system. [Photo/Tide News]

Longxian village in Qingtian county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, has been selected as a demonstration village by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under its FAO Villages Recognition Initiative.

As part of the recognition, the village is included in the FAO Museums and Networks global platform, allowing its rural development model to be showcased to the organization's 194 member states.

The FAO Villages Recognition Initiative recognizes villages that excel in areas such as sustainable development, ecological conservation, cultural heritage preservation, rural tourism, and digital innovation.

Longxian village in Fangshan township is renowned as the birthplace of the Qingtian rice-fish symbiotic system, which was listed in the world's first group of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems designated by the FAO in 2005.

A bumper harvest of rice and fish in Longxian village. [Photo/Tide News]

In recent years, the village has promoted rural vitalization through the development of study camps, rural museums, and boutique homestays, boosting rural tourism. This integration of agricultural heritage, folk culture, and rural tourism has earned the village numerous accolades, including being named a national key rural tourism village and a provincial 3A-level scenic village.

Qingtian's pristine environment supports the rice-fish symbiotic system, leading to strong agricultural output and increasing the incomes of local farmers.

Tourists visiting Longxian village can explore a series of rural museums, including the Qingtian Rice-Fish Symbiotic System Museum, gaining insights into local farming practices and the area's relationship with the natural environment.