Ecological Farming “Turns Toads into Treasure” in Yanggu, Shandong

LIAOCHENG, China, Nov. 7, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

In Yanggu County, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, an innovative model integrating ecological agriculture with traditional Chinese medicine has evolved into a specialty industry worth tens of millions of yuan. By establishing a three-dimensional ecological cycle of “trees + crops + vegetables + toads,” the county has achieved scaled farming of Chinese giant toads while pioneering a development pathway that balances economic gains with environmental protection.

At the Xinglin Ecological Farming Base in Zhaowanghe State-owned Forest Farm, millions of Chinese giant toads thrive in a simulated natural environment. Li Jingang, the base director, explained, “Our ‘four-in-one’ model creates a self-sustaining micro-ecosystem. Trees and vegetables provide shade and habitats for the toads, which in turn help control pests. Their excrement fertilizes the soil, significantly reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It’s a virtuous cycle of ecology and farming.”

The base has built China’s leading artificial breeding system for Chinese giant toads, comprising 65 tadpole breeding ponds, 320 farming ponds, and 6 greenhouses for toad slough collection. Annual outputs include 150kg of toad venom, 150,000 toad sloughs, and 12 tons of dried toad products. Projections indicate the base’s annual revenue will exceed 3 million yuan by 2025.

This thriving industry has benefited from Yanggu’s systematic development of the traditional medicine industrial chain. Guided by the “chain leader system,” the local government has fostered an integrated industrial chain spanning ecological farming, deep processing, and brand building. Meanwhile, the county has actively supported farming cooperatives and processing enterprises. Currently, the toad industry employs over 2,000 locals across breeding, processing, and sales sectors, generating annual output exceeding 30 million yuan.

To ensure the quality and safety of TCM raw materials, Yanggu has utilized rural revitalization and traditional medicine development funds to standardize farming facilities and practices. A “four-unified” management model of “unified seedling supply, technical guidance, quality control, and product recycling” ensures traceability across all farming stages. “Our full-process traceability system guarantees stable, reliable, and high-quality raw materials for downstream pharmaceutical products,” emphasized an official at Yanggu Health Bureau.

Science and technology are the core drivers for industry upgrading. Yanggu has partnered with the Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine and other institutions to establish a Toad Industry Research Center that focuses on superior breed selection. Through technical breakthroughs, researchers have not only increased tadpole hatching rates from 3% in the wild to 70%, but also enhanced disease resistance.

“We’ve established comprehensive technical standards covering breeding stock selection, tadpole incubation, and adult toad farming,” stated the base’s technical director. “This traceable quality management system lays a solid foundation for the safety and efficacy of medicinal products like toad venom and toad sloughs.” Through this small amphibian, Yanggu vividly demonstrates how ecological advantages can be transformed into industrial strengths, offering a replicable “Yanggu model” for modernizing traditional Chinese medicine.

Source: Information Office of Yanggu County People’s Government