Xiaozhang Township is located in a mountainous area with steep slopes and deep ditches. The harsh natural conditions make the development of the agricultural industry difficult. Since the 1980s, young and middle-aged people here have been away from their hometown for work.
In recent years, Xiaozhang Township has focused on green development based on local conditions, gathered talents and industries, guided farmers to develop characteristic planting and breeding industries, and explored a path for the development of characteristic agriculture in mountainous areas.
Xiaozhang Township has tapped into the potential of local resources and developed characteristic industries according to local conditions.
Villagers were busy picking chili peppers at the greenhouse of the Yijiayi Professional Farmers’ Cooperative in Luxi County recently.
The chili pepper industry is one of the characteristic industries in Xiaozhang Township, and every household has a tradition of planting chili peppers. Xie Shenghao, a major pepper grower in Xiaozhang Village, has over ten years of experience in pepper cultivation. Now he is the head of the cooperative, in which hundreds of neighboring growers have also joined.
Fresh chili peppers have been available all year round by planting them in standardized vegetable greenhouses, introducing improved off-season varieties and establishing cooperatives.
At present, Xiaozhang Township has planted 3,000 mu (200 hectares) of chili peppers, with an annual output value exceeding 15 million yuan. Relying on characteristic agricultural resources, characteristic planting has helped farmers to increase their income.
Xiaozhang Township has made efforts to cultivate local talents, and attract various talents to make contributions and achievements in rural revitalization.
Black fungus has extremely strict requirements for its growth environment. And unique climatic and geographical conditions in Xiaozhang Township provide excellent conditions for cultivating black fungus.
In May 2022, Xiang Yiping from Dashuiping Village raised more than 6 million yuan to establish Hunan Sixiang Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. He has continued to expand the planting area of black fungus through the operation mode of “company plus village collective plus base plus farmer.
Nowadays, under the leadership of Xiang Yiping, black fungus sticks have been cultivated in Bainitang, Dashuiping, and Xiaozhang villages, driving more than 200 households to increase income, with an annual output value of over 20 million yuan.
In the process of rural revitalization, local talents have a natural advantage, including old experienced people, who can also play a big role.
Chen Yongping from Zimuping Village is a famous agricultural model worker in the village. He has mainly planted traditional crops such as tea oil, tobacco, and seasonal vegetables for many years.
Song Penghua, an official of Zhuzhou Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology who was stationed in Zimuping Village, discussed with Chen Yongping on how to choose suitable industries in the village.
“Snakegourd fruit’s skin and roots can be used as medicinal herbs, and its seeds can be processed into characteristic leisure snacks. At the same time, due to its small size, high sweetness, and easy storage and transportation, it has a very broad market prospect,” said Song Penghua. Based on Chen Yongping’s years of agricultural experience and familiarity with this land, they quickly chose to develop snakegourd fruits.
This year, through land transfer, Chen Yongping has planted more than 40 mu (about 2.67 hectares) of snakegourd fruits, with an expected yield of 6,000 yuan per mu (about 0.067 hectares).
In addition, Tan Lihua, a returning entrepreneur in Xiaozhang Village, has planted 50 mu (about 3.33 hectares) of morel mushrooms with an investment of 1.15 million yuan. Fu Anxun, a farmer in Yanzhuping Village, has planted 60 mu (4 hectares) of Chunxiang citrus with a yield of up to 2,000 kilograms per mu (about 0.067 hectares). Yang Zegao from Wacao Village has planted 100 mu (about 6.67 hectares) of golden tea.
Local talents and role models have helped each village develop its own characteristic agriculture, leading the way to prosperity.
Developing characteristic industries aims to increase agricultural efficiency and farmers’ income. Based on the local resources and industrial situation, Xiaozhang Township takes the path of characteristic and differentiated development.
Xiaozhang Township has a good climatic environment, with a large area of forest and grassland resources, making it an ideal place for the development of planting and breeding industries.
In 2010, Chen Xianfang returned to her hometown to develop characteristic breeding. Considering that local goats adapt to the local environment and are relatively easy to be raised, Chen Xianfang decided to raise goats.
The local government applied for a goat breeding subsidy for him and sent him out to learn breeding techniques. Now, his farm has achieved self-breeding, self-raising, and self-prevention, and there are over a hundred goats in the farm.
Xiaozhang Township has promoted the development of the breeding industry integrating breeding, slaughtering and processing. As of now, ecological breeding in the township has seen scale benefits, with a total area of 5,300 square meters of fold yards and more than 1,400 heads of cattle and goats on hand.
Due to many mountains and few fields, over 800 mu (about 53.33 hectares) of arable land was reploughed, and then subcontracted to large growers and enterprises through land transfer. At the same time, through the development of industries in a contiguous area, corresponding industrial roads and irrigation facilities have been improved, making small and remote areas produce considerable benefits.
Besides, a labor service company has been established to recruit rural laborers from surrounding areas for industrial bases, which can also help increase villagers’ income. Water conservancy facilities have been built for industrial development. In 2024, 250,000 yuan has been invested in digging wells, solving irrigation problems for the development of industries.
Experts from the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Luxi County have been invited to provide technical services and post-production marketing support to assist in industrial development. More precise and flexible agricultural support policies have been formulated based on different industries and products to stimulate agricultural production vitality. With precise cultivation, small industries can achieve great results.
Nowadays, industries thrive in Xiaozhang Township. With more beautiful scenery and richer villagers, the township is now radiating infinite vitality.
Chinese source: hunantoday
