Land Transfers Support Modern Agriculture in Xiaogang Village

A "Modern Farmer"

Yan Deyou, aged 41, had seen much of the nation before returning to his village and resuming farm work. In 2005, he contracted 80 mu of land to grow grapes, and in 2007, he contracted 120 mu more. He entered the business under an aid program by a village in Jiangsu Province. In 2001, Changjiang Village in the better-off coastal city Zhangjiagang established a partnership with Xiaogang, offering to upgrade the latter's economy with its managerial expertise and financial strength built through industries such as port logistics, iron and steel, and chemicals. After an extensive survey of Xiaogang Village, Changjiang decided to help them build a vineyard. The two sides signed an agreement that Changjiang Village would invest RMB 1.5 million in the construction of an 80-mu vineyard. To help Xiaogang villagers grasp the particular growing skills as soon as possible, Changjiang Village also arranged for a subsidy of RMB 3,500 per mu for grape growers.

Yan Deyou was the first one in the village to cultivate grapes on a large scale. To promote the salability of his products, he often goes to other areas to learn their growing techniques and conducts research on which varieties taste better, sell well and produce high yields. Over the years, Yan Deyou's vineyard has nurtured several different grape strains. He has also set up a cultivating cooperative, leading other grape growers in the study and exchange of growing techniques. Xiaogang Village has even created its own grape brand, and holds an annual grape festival. "In recent years all our grapes sell well, earning us RMB 3,000 per mu of land."

However, not many farmers choose to grow grapes. Compared to grain crops, grape growing needs much more skill and energy, and the investment is a heavy one. Therefore, even though outside aid is available, the village's grape cultivation is far from fully developed. In Yan Deyou's view, one of the main reasons why Xiaogang has not prospered to any great extent is the "villagers' backward ideology and the cadres' inadequate steering of a general orientation" to this goal.

Yan Deyou is gratified that following the entry of certain enterprises, many young people who used to be migrant workers have come back to seek employment locally, or even tried to establish their own businesses. "The young people who have seen the bigger world beyond show a desire to change this situation."

Yang Yueling, who worked in Guangzhou for 10 years as a migrant, went back to Xiaogang in 2009. "In Guangzhou's supermarkets, two tomatoes, if they are branded vegetables, can fetch seven to eight yuan. This inspired me. If we do a good job with our agriculture, we can also achieve comfort and prosperity," he said.

Yang Yueling spent his savings of RMB 100,000 to contract 36 mu of land and bought over a dozen kids, starting drylot feeding. One year later, he tasted the benefits of pioneering career move. He earned RMB 8,000 from selling his goats, and the largest fetched RMB 1,680. "The income from raising a dozen goats is equal to that from the yield of 12 mu of rice. Which is better?" The answer is a no-brainer. Yang Yueling applied for a loan to increase his investment and now he is raising more than 300 goats.

This year Yang Yukuai, another young man in the village, looked to Yang Yueling as his cooperative partner in a livestock venture. "I hope to set up a model cycling economy: planting forage grass to raise goats and geese, and using their droppings to fertilize forage grass. Through this I hope the whole village will get rich," said Yang Yueling, gazing at his goats.

At present, Xiaogang is encouraging villagers to grow economically rewarding crops and develop livestock breeding, as part of their transformation into "modern farmers." "I hope these measures will see the villagers living easy in no time," said Guan Youjiang.