Functional Positioning of Pastoral Complex in the Context of Rural Revitalization Strategy: A Case Study of Pavlo Eco Valley in Gaoan City of Jiangxi Province

Hancheng ZHAO

College of City Construction, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China

Abstract As a new form of industry proposed in the context of the rural revitalization strategy, the pastoral complex has sprung up under the support of various policies. However, there are also various problems in the development of pastoral complex. The functional positioning of pastoral complex is not proper and there is serious homogeneous problem. These greatly restrict the development of pastoral complex. This study, taking the rural revitalization strategy as the background, analyzed the functional positioning of pastoral complex from production, ecology, and living. Besides, taking Pavlo Eco Valley in Gaoan City of Jiangxi Province as an example, it studied its functional positioning and came up with pertinent recommendations for its further development.

Key words Rural revitalization, Pastoral complex, Functional positioning

1 Introduction

On October 18, 2017, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the rural revitalization strategy in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China; on February 4, 2018, the State Council announced theOpinionsontheImplementationoftheRuralRevitalizationStrategy; in May 2019, the pastoral complex concept proposed in the 2019 Central Document No.1 issued by the State Council provided a path for the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. The functional positioning of the pastoral complex is a key factor influencing the development of the rural revitalization strategy. The accuracy of its functional positioning is directly related to the success of the entire project. Wang Lijun and Lei Limingetal. elaborated the functional positioning of the pastoral complex. Wang Lijun believed that the functional positioning of the pastoral complex refers to a development model integrating modern agriculture, leisure tourism, and pastoral communities[1]. Lei Liming held that the functional positioning of the pastoral complex is to revolve around the village and industry, and follow a certain path, taking the area as the development unit for overall development[2]. Therefore, studying the functional positioning of the pastoral complex has important practical significance.

2 Rural revitalization and pastoral complex

2.1 Related policies and concept explanationThe concept of pastoral complex was first proposed in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017, and then a detailed explanation was given in the Central Document No.1 issued by the State Council in May 2019. The pastoral complex is actually an agglomeration of "pastoral" and "complex". It is on the basis of maintaining the original rural style and features, not limited to the previous thinking of simply developing agriculture, and on the basis of developing rural revitalization strategies, it meets the consumption demand of urban and rural residents, it is a new type of comprehensive model that meets the requirements of agricultural supply-side structural reform. The pastoral complex can integrate various resources in the area, carry out reasonable planning and layout, develop local characteristic industries, and promote the development of the economy of surrounding areas[3].

2.2 Relationship between rural revitalization and pastoral complex

2.2.1Rural revitalization is the policy support for building the pastoral complex. After the rural revitalization strategy was put forward, the construction of the pastoral complex project received great policy support. In this context, the pastoral complex is likely to become a new model of urban-rural integrated development, and the pastoral complex has become one of the most important carriers and boosts for the rural revitalization strategy.

The concept of the pastoral complex is consistent with the proposal of General Secretary Xi Jinping in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to firmly establish the concept of socialist ecological civilization and promote the formation of a new pattern of harmonious development and modernization between man and nature. It has also received series of great state policy encouragement and support.

2.2.2Pastoral complex is an important approach to implement the rural revitalization strategy. The concept of the pastoral complex plays a great role in promoting the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, and has made a great breakthrough in the three rural issues to be solved by the rural revitalization. The pastoral complex can promote the development of agriculture by integrating the resources in the rural areas, helping farmers to solve the main livelihood problems, thereby promoting the economic development of the rural areas and implementing the rural revitalization strategy.

3 Analysis of the functional positioning of pastoral complex in the context of rural revitalization strategy

3.1 Concept of the functional positioning of pastoral complexAt present, there is still no accurate definition of the functional positioning of the pastoral complex. Based on the analysis of various policies and other materials, we intended to present our understandings. The functional positioning of the pastoral complex, in simple terms, is based on the solution to the rural revitalization strategy of the three rural issues, namely, "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers", focusing on the ability to develop into a pastoral complex of natural villages or distinctive areas, planning functional areas, highlighting characteristic industries based on agriculture, and other secondary and tertiary industries that are driven by the radiation of characteristic industries and other main functions[4]. Only after the functional positioning of the pastoral complex is clearly clarified, can it give full play to its role in the development of collective resources, economic development and serving the people[5].

3.2 Functional division and positioning analysis of the pastoral complexThe functional positioning of the pastoral complex proposed under the rural revitalization strategy can be analyzed from the perspective of the three main functional areas of "production, ecology, and living" and the three main functional areas of the three rural issues, combining local resources, deeply explore the multiple functions and values of local agriculture and rural areas, and give different functional positioning according to the different characteristics of the pastoral complex. Each area assumes its most important functions, and each area must be integrated and closely coordinated to form a vibrant pastoral complex. According to the different characteristics of the pastoral complex, the emphasis of each pastoral complex is different, and the functional positioning is naturally different.

The pastoral complex should have a more detailed division from the three functional areas of production, ecology and living, and should have industrial functions in the production functional areas. The industrial function zone has gradually become the core driving force of the economic development of the complex because of its advantages such as improving the economic level of the surrounding areas, promoting the extension of the industrial chain, and driving the development of the supporting service industry; it should have landscape and leisure functions in the ecological function zone; it should have cultural functions, service functions and residential functions in the living function area (as shown in Fig.1).

Fig.1 Division of three major functional areas of the pastoral complex

4 Empirical study: present situations and recommendations for functional positioning of China Gaoan Pavlo Pastoral Complex

4.1 Present situations and problems of functional positioning of Pavlo Pastoral Complex

4.1.1General information of Pavlo Pastoral Complex. China Gaoan Pavlo Pastoral Complex is located in Changxi Cultural Industry Park, Gaoan City, Yichun City, Jiangxi Province. It is about 30-40 km from the urban area of Nanchang City. The total investment is about 3 billion yuan. The planned area is about 15 km2. It is one of the first batch of pilot projects for pastoral complexes and the only one operated by a private company.

4.1.2Present situations of functional positioning. Pavlo Pastoral Complex generally includes three parts: Pavlo Eco Valley, Pavlo Agricultural Products E-commerce Industrial Park, and Pavlo Style Town, namely, one valley, one park, and one town. Each of these three parts is divided into different sections, and each section has different functions. The Pavlo Eco Valley mainly includes five parts, the farming cultural experience area, the citizen farm, the ecological pasture recreation area, the modern circular agriculture demonstration area, and the elderly TCM health care area, and it is mainly the first industry in the Pavlo Pastoral Complex. The Pavlo Agricultural Products E-commerce Industrial Park mainly includes five industrial projects, namely, an agricultural entrepreneurial incubation platform, a central kitchen catering supply system, a special agricultural product deep processing base, a cold chain storage and logistics center, and an agricultural product e-commerce platform, and it mainly includes Pavlo’s derivative industries. The "one town" in the Pavlo Pastoral Complex is an indispensable part, and it includes the central village of Pavlo and the comprehensive service area at the entrance of the Pavlo Eco Valley, providing comprehensive services for the entire pastoral complex, and it is also the mage management and exhibition center of the Pavlo Pastoral Complex[6].

4.1.3Problems in the functional positioning. Although Pavlo includes the three major parts "one valley, one park, and one town", there is still a big gap between it and the layout of the functional areas we expect. There are following main problems in its functional positioning. (i) Lack of layout of landscape function. A complete pastoral complex needs to include at least the five functions of industry, life, landscape, leisure, and service. Based on the analysis of the above-mentioned functional positioning, Pavlo Pastoral Complex lacks the function of landscape layout and has few attractive points for the customers and tourists. (ii) Lack of characteristic industries. Although Pavlo has many high-quality agricultural products, it lacks well-known characteristic industries and does not have its own core industry as a pillar to support the development of the entire pastoral complex. For example, the Honey Peach Village in the Wuxi Pastoral Oriental, the organic vegetables in Chengdu Tony’s Farm, and the creative style pavilion in Carnival Park,etc., all have their own characteristic industries to promote the development of other secondary and tertiary industries. (iii) Lack of cultural heritage. From the above analysis of Pavlo’s functional positioning, it is found that it lacks a very important element-culture. Its functional zoning does not reflect the cultural heritage of the pastoral complex, and its cultural heritage has not been deeply explored. Without cultural heritage, it is difficult for a pastoral complex to develop, and its survival time will not be long[7].

4.2 Recommendations for functional positioning of Pavlo in the context of rural revitalization strategyThe Pavlo project was completed in two phases. Phase I: in 2017, it planed to complete the construction of the "one town" in the Pavlo Pastoral Complex. Phase II: from 2018 to 2020, it would achieve the smooth opening of the Pavlo Ecological Valley and develop the Pavlo E-commerce Industrial Park. At present, the first phase has been completed, so we can provide some practical and constructive recommendations for the second phase through analyzing its functional positioning.

4.2.1Creating landscape areas to increase appealing to customers and tourists. In the context of the rural revitalization strategy, it is necessary to attach greater importance to ecological protection. In the Pavlo Eco Valley, there are a modern circular agriculture demonstration area, a farming cultural experience area, an ecological pasture recreation area, an elderly TCM health care area and a citizen farm. In these planned areas, it is recommended to choose ecological pasture recreation area to create a landscape function area to increase the appealing to customers and tourists and improve the competitiveness.

4.2.2Cultivating characteristic industries and setting up characteristic product brands. In order to better implement the rural revitalization strategy, it is necessary to have its own characteristic industries to support the development of the secondary and tertiary industries, thereby driving the development of the entire pastoral complex. The local characteristic products of Gaoan include scalpers, tea oil, chili,etc. We can use this as the focus to produce safe foods exclusively for Gaoan, devote ourselves to creating a brand of Pavlo agricultural products, and on this basis, promote the development of surrounding farmers and cooperatives, so as to make a great contribution to the local economic development.

4.2.3Exploring cultural heritage and protecting traditional and characteristic culture. In terms of implementation the rural revitalization strategy, the protection of rural traditional culture is the foundation. The construction of the Pavlo Pastoral Complex was renovated and properly constructed on the basis of the original 12 villages. Therefore, it is recommended to create different functional areas based on local customs and culture, such as agricultural experience area, ecological education area,etc. Through these functional areas, the local culture can be preserved, and people who travel to and from Pavlo can understand the local culture. The local culture is understood by more people, so that the local traditional culture can be protected and passed on.

5 Conclusions

In summary, we analyzed that the pastoral complex proposed under the rural revitalization strategy can be functionally positioned from the perspective of "production, ecology, and living". The pastoral complex can be divided into six functional areas, industry, landscape, leisure, culture, service and living functions. Taking Pavlo Pastoral Complex as an example, we came up with recommendations for creating landscape areas, cultivating characteristic industries, and exploring cultural heritage. Since the pastoral complex is still a new form of industry, its functional positioning still remains at the exploratory stage, and its functional positioning will be different for different pastoral complexes, so it needs to be further explored.