STORY: How grassroots investigations help with rural revitalization in China's Zhouning
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 17, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 3, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:14
LOCATION: NINGDE, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Zhouning County
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): XU GENGYUN, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhouning County
3. various of Zhouning County
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XU GENGYUN, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhouning County
5. various of Zhouning County
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): XU GENGYUN, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhouning County

STORYLINE:

Surrounded by imposing mountains, Zhouning is the highest county in China's Fujian Province.

It had long been one of the poorest counties in Fujian, and only emerged out of poverty in April 2020.

On its path to shake off poverty and embrace rural revitalization, local officials' grassroots investigations have played an important role.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): XU GENGYUN, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhouning County
"We often say that we should 'seeking advice from the people.' To be honest, the ordinary folks, they possess wisdom and experience accumulated in their daily work and life. This is something that our government officials should deem worthy of learning.
Through grassroots investigations, we learned that much of the labor force here had migrated out to other regions. Meanwhile, as this area is mostly hilly terrain, the land is not as fertile as that in the plains. As a result, some fields have been left uncultivated."

To tackle entrenched issues, the Zhouning government introduced a pairing-up initiative, mandating officials at different levels to be paired with specific land areas. They are tasked with personally overseeing the cultivation of these designated plots.

Party members are further obligated to take the lead in cultivating the land under their responsibility.

Farmers who contract over two hectares of land are eligible for subsidies. Efforts were also made to facilitate funding and introduce technology to enhance the efficiency of farming practices.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XU GENGYUN, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhouning County
"This is a breakthrough in tackling the problem of land abandonment and enhancing food security -- mobilizing social forces to participate in the restoration of arable land.
It not only allows more people to enjoy the freshest products from Zhouning, but also gives farmers more confidence to manage their own fields.
So far, more than 230 hectares of abandoned fields have been reclaimed (through our project)."

Through the grassroots investigations, Zhouning County has also developed its "star" local specialty - the high-altitude potatoes.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): XU GENGYUN, Deputy Director, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhouning County
"Potatoes grown in Zhouning are known for their excellent taste, and are much sought after in the market. They sell for two to three times the price of ordinary ones. This variety has a distinct advantage.
The cultivation process requires relatively less human labor, and the potatoes have a short growth cycle, so farmers can engage in intercropping with potatoes, thus enhancing overall production efficiency."

Nearly 20,000 people in Zhouning are engaged in potato cultivation. In 2022, the county produced 25,000 tonnes of potatoes, with a total output value of 150 million yuan (around 21 million U.S. dollars).

In 2022, the county's gross regional product exceeded 10 billion yuan (1.4 billion USD), with a year-on-year growth of 14.1 percent, and residents' per capita income reached 28,697 yuan (4,020 USD), increasing 7 percent compared with the previous year.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ningde, China.
(XHTV)