Chinese dairy group Yili has presented a whole-value-chain agricultural model at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations' (FAO) inaugural Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems.
Delivered during the "RENOFARM in Action" plenary session, the presentation detailed how the dairy manufacturer integrates ecosystem restoration, precision livestock farming, and smallholder farmer development across its domestic supply chain.
The One Health framework aims to sustainably balance and optimise the interconnected health of people, animals, and ecosystems. Yili's participation connects with RENOFARM, a 10-year global initiative launched by the FAO in 2024 to support sustainable livestock production and reduce antimicrobial reliance in agriculture.
"Prosperity is not a solo, but a symphony," said Pan Gang, Chairman of Yili Group. "Guided by One Health, Yili will deepen cooperation with FAO and industry partners worldwide to advance high-quality development across the global dairy sector and agrifood systems, supporting healthier people, animals and ecosystems."
Grassland Restoration and Sourcing Security in Inner Mongolia
Speaking at the conference, Yili Group Vice President Xu Ke outlined the group's nature-restoration initiatives in Ar Horqin Banner, Inner Mongolia, where historic land degradation created significant operational challenges for local pastoral communities.
To stabilise sandy, degraded pastures, Yili implemented a grass-livestock integration model adapted to regional climatic conditions. The project introduced deep-rooted, protein-rich alfalfa crops, which improved soil retention and restored approximately 55,000 mu (3,667 hectares) of degraded grassland.
The rehabilitated acreage now operates as an active circular agricultural system. The deep-rooted forage stabilises topsoil while producing continuous yields of domestic feed, creating an enclosed nutrient cycle where crops regenerate soil quality, pastures sustain dairy herds, and managed livestock manure replenishes agricultural land.
Precision Agriculture and Animal Welfare at Chilechuan Farm
Addressing livestock management, Xu highlighted the deployment of automated herd monitoring systems at Yili's Chilechuan Ecological Smart Farm.
The facility incorporates digital Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring systems, automated indoor climate control, and precision feeding regimens calibrated to individual cows throughout their lifecycle. These precision-farming protocols track herd vital signs in real time, streamlining early intervention for animal health and safeguarding raw milk hygiene standards.
The FAO named the Chilechuan operation a "RENOFARM Farm 5Gs Pilot Champion" in 2026, building on previous recognitions including the FAO's Contribution Award for Social Responsibility.
Smallholder Capacity Building and Dairy Farmer Field Schools
Beyond industrial-scale facilities, Yili detailed its ongoing programme to raise operational standards across independent smallholder farming networks.
Historically, smallholder dairy farmers across several Chinese provinces faced constraints regarding low lactation yields, limited veterinary diagnostic tools, and weak operating margins. In 2014, Yili partnered with the FAO to establish Dairy Farmer Field Schools, delivering practical on-farm education across regional dairy clusters.
Under the initiative, technical specialists provide farm-level training covering cow disease prevention, balanced feed formulation, and modernisation planning, supported by commercial credit facilities and capital grants.
Over more than a decade of operations, the programme has engaged 5.6 million dairy farmers and herders in Inner Mongolia. During this operating period, local herd management efficiency expanded tenfold, while average daily milk output per cow doubled, demonstrating the commercial role of technical transfer programmes in securing raw dairy supplies for primary processing operations.
.jpeg)
