Village gets vitalized from new development model

Wudang district in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, with an average altitude of 1,250 meters, is characterized by mountainous and hilly terrain. This terrain has led to limited agricultural development due to fragmented land and scattered resources.

In a bid to overcome these limitations and drive agricultural transformation, Wudang has encouraged farmers to consolidate scattered and idle land through exchanges, leasing or equity participation, thereby creating larger and more contiguous plots. These plots have been transformed into family farms focused on specialty mountain agriculture such as vegetables, fruits, medicinal herbs, flowers, tea, and ecological farming. 

Luo Wenzhen, deputy chief of Baiyi town in Wudang, stated that the town's fragmented plots have been consolidated, forming 23 family farms and cultivating over 8,000 mu (533.33 hectares) of economic fruits, including pears and blueberries. This approach has helped expand income channels for farmers.

According to an official from the Wudang district bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, from January to August this year, the district cultivated 49 new large-scale farming and breeding households and established 22 family farms. The per capita disposable income of rural permanent residents reached 14,525 yuan ($2,037.86), an increase of 6.9 percent year-on-year.