(Note: This is an English translation of a Chinese article from the Water Resource News)
Camellia Village, located near the scenic Puzhehei Nature Reserve and in the heart of the Hongqi Reservoir, Qiubei County, Yunnan Province, has experienced a dramatic transformation. Once suffering from the impacts of untreated sewage and poor water quality, the village now thrives and stands as an example of how nature-based solutions (NbS) for wastewater management can benefit both people and the planet.
The Turning Point: 2021 and the ‘Happy Farmland’ Project
The transformation of Camellia Village began in 2021, with the launch of the ‘Happy Farmland’ Rural Domestic Wastewater Ecological Treatment Demonstration Project, co-funded by UNDP China and the local government. This project aimed to tackle wastewater management challenges in rural areas using zero-energy, eco-friendly technologies, aligning with UNDP's mission to advance sustainable development and China’s dual carbon goals.
With support from the International Economic and Technical Cooperation and Exchange Center (INTCE) of the Ministry of Water Resources of China, UNDP China, China International Center For Economic And Technical Exchanges (CICETE) of the Ministry of Commerce, The Coca-Cola Foundation, and the Water Resources Bureau of Qiubei County, the project was able to successfully adopted a nature-based approach to wastewater treatment in the village, improving water quality while addressing other priorities such as poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.
Leveraging Domestic and International Resources for a Greener Future
The project’s nature-based solutions have helped reduce costs typically associated with the traditional centralized infrastructure used for wastewater treatment in rural areas. By adopting cost-effective, simple, and localized ecological wastewater treatment technologies with a daily processing capacity of 50 cubic meters, the project has improved the living conditions of over 400 villagers while drastically reducing carbon emissions. One of the project’s innovative features is the tiered pond system, integrated with the village’s natural ponds and peach orchards, which showcases how nature-based solutions can effectively manage wastewater while enhancing biodiversity and promoting carbon sequestration.
Livelihood Improvement and Long-Term Development
Beyond the environmental impacts, Camellia Village has seen substantial economic growth. Surrounded by over hundreds of acres of peach orchards and located near the popular “Ten Miles of Peach Blossom” scenic area, it has become an eco-tourism destination with an increasing influx of visitors. Recognized as the first eco-migration village in the province, it now offers visitors a mix of agricultural tourism, leisure activities, and cultural experiences.
"The demonstration project has laid a solid foundation for increasing local income from eco-tourism and has received widespread support from villagers, who are actively engaging in ecological environmental protection," said a representative from the Water Resources Bureau in Qiubei County.
Economic Benefits and Environmental Harmony
This shift led to new economic opportunities for locals like Luo Wenbin, who invested 40,000 RMB (roughly about US$5,633) last year to convert his home into a rural recreation business with the hope of capitalizing on the growing tourism industry. “Although my business is still in its early stages, I am confident that it will thrive as tourism continues to grow,” Luo said optimistically.
Local resident, Luo Wenbin.
The project’s success has earned recognition on the global stage. It was recently highlighted as one of the best poverty reduction cases in the 5th Global Poverty Reduction Case Collection Campaign, demonstrating its impact on environmental sustainability and socio-economic development.
Director General of the INTCE, emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships, integrating multiple resources, and expanding funding channels to advance rural revitalization and water ecological restoration for a sustainable future for local communities.
"Promoting rural revitalization and consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation is a significant political task personally deployed by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, and it is one of the main economic and social development goals of the '14th Five-Year Plan,'” he said. “This requires not only government funding but also mobilizing social capital. The water resources department cooperates with international organizations and relevant stakeholders, leveraging their strengths and resources for rural sewage treatment and water ecological restoration projects.”
Supporting Sustainable Development and Realizing Zero Carbon Emissions
Camellia Village’s transformation from a struggling settlement to a thriving community is a testament to the power of collaboration. UNDP remains committed to working with partners to harness nature-based solutions to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Action, as well as support China’s national development priorities, in a way that is inclusive, leaving no one behind.
Source: UNDP China