Village leads villagers towards prosperity

Villagers use a machine to harvest rice in Shizi village. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

In recent years, Shizi village in Kaiyang county has leveraged technology to empower local selenium-rich rice cultivation, making villagers more prosperous.

In 2019, agricultural science experts conducted laboratory analyses on the rice cultivated in the village, uncovering the secret behind the excellent quality of Shizi village's rice – favorable ecological conditions, abundant water supply, sandy soil, and rich selenium content.

Capitalizing on its natural advantages, Shizi village remains steadfast in rice cultivation, while many villages have been transitioning to modern agricultural industries such as fruit orchards and specialty livestock farming.

Under the leadership of the Party Committee of Shizi village, Party members and cadres independently raised over 500,000 yuan ($69,850) to gradually expand small plots of farmland into large cultivated areas.

Subsequently, through methods such as loans, they spent 670,000 yuan on agricultural machinery for sowing, seedling cultivation, and harvesting, which has not only reduced labor costs but also significantly increased the yield of selenium-rich rice.

In 2022, the village's collective income exceeded 200,000 yuan, marking the first time the village has achieved collective economic growth.

This year, the village's rice growing area is expected to expand from 1,000 mu (66.67 hectares) in 2022 to over 1,200 mu.

In addition, with the expansion of rice cultivation, the village has actively promoted its selenium-rich rice through online platforms. The average selling price of selenium-rich rice from Shizi village has reached 12 yuan per kilogram, surpassing the market price of ordinary rice. This year, the village's collective income is expected to exceed 300,000 yuan.