Aid from enterprises helps to spur growth inside rural village

Visitors to Dahuangdi in Jilin city, Northeast China's Jilin province will immediately gain a sense of the ancient village's vitality, which can be seen in its wide paved streets, elegant courtyards and bustling square.

The inspiring development of the village can be attributed to the cooperation between the village and local enterprises.

The village mainly focuses on quality rice, livestock breeding, farm products processing and agro-tourism.

In 2010, its economic aggregate reached 1 billion yuan ($157.4 million), with per capita net income hitting 18,000 yuan, making it one of the most prosperous villages in China.

Dongfu Cereals Industry Co Ltd, since its establishment in 2000, has adopted a managerial mode to better integrate farmers into its overall operations through standardized planting methods.

The company turned 1,300 hectares of paddy fields into an organic rice production center. It also provided lots of job opportunities for local villagers, letting them work in the company or outside.

"The village began to plant rice in 1964. However, only in recent years have we villagers received handsome profits," said Guan Zuoxin, deputy Party secretary of Dahuangdi village.

"The company brings modern technology of production and management to us, such as water-saving irrigation, which greatly increased production," Guan said.

Jiang Qilu, a local farmer, now works as an agro-technician for the organic farmland of Dongfu Cereals Industry Company.

"Thanks to land transfer, I lease my 1.8 hectares of farmland to the company at a price of 13,000 yuan per hectare. Together with the state's subsidy of about 2,500 yuan per hectare, I can get a total of 27,900 yuan from the farmland alone," Jiang said.

Moreover, the company also employs more than 900 local farmers, which increases their annual income and betters their livelihood.

"As a private company, we co-construct with the village, which not only solves the labor shortage of the company but also gives strong financial support to the village. It's a win-win situation for both company and village," said Liu Yandong, Party secretary of the village.

Contact the writer at shaowei@chinadaily.com.cn