PCJ – Chapter 678 Poverty Alleviation

“Honorable County Chief, this farmland is our lifeline as farmers. If you take away our land, it’s like taking our lives!” While Zhang Jiaohua was visiting Shierwan Village in Guyang Town, an old farmer almost knelt before him.

Zhang Jiaohua frowned. These beliefs were deeply rooted in the hearts of the elderly. Holding land in their hands at least meant they could feed themselves. But without consolidating farmland, rural areas would never grow wealthy. Moreover, as these older generations passed away, the countryside would inevitably become desolate. Consolidating farmland now was the future trend for rural development.

“Elder, how old are you this year?” Zhang Jiaohua calmed himself and sat across from the farmer on a wooden bench.

“I’m sixty this year,” replied the old man, named Wang Xiping.

“What about your son and daughter-in-law?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“They’ve gone out to work. Been gone for several years. They only come home during the New Year,” Wang Xiping said.

“That little guy playing with mud in the yard—he’s your grandson, right?” Zhang Jiaohua pointed to the child.

Wang Xiping wasn’t sure why Zhang was asking, but still cautiously answered, “Yes, five years old. We’re planning to send him to kindergarten later this year.”

“How many households in the village are in a similar situation to yours?” Zhang asked.

“Eight or nine out of ten. There’s no other way—nothing grows gold from the soil. No matter how well you tend the land, you barely get enough to eat,” Wang Xiping sighed. Families were separated, adults could cope, but the kids suffered—like orphans with living parents.

“Uncle Wang, have you ever thought—when you grow old, who’s going to farm this land?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

Wang Xiping was stunned. Thinking about it, his son and daughter-in-law would never come back to farm. His grandson would probably follow the same path. The land would be abandoned. Most families were in this situation. At this rate, Shierwan Village would eventually be deserted.

“Well… that’s a problem for the future,” Wang Xiping said, understanding Zhang’s implication.

“It’ll all be deserted eventually. And since the land belongs to the state, once it’s abandoned, it will have to be reclaimed. The only way forward is to consolidate the land and farm it with machinery,” Zhang explained.

“But I can still farm now. If I lose my land, how will I eat?” Wang Xiping countered.

“We’re not confiscating your land. We’re consolidating it for modern agriculture. You can invest your land as a share and receive dividends in return. Not just you—your son and grandson can keep receiving dividends whether they work in the farm or work outside,” Zhang Jiaohua explained the benefits.

“They can work at the farm?” Wang Xiping asked suddenly.

Zhang nodded. “The farm will need many workers. Naturally, shareholders will be given hiring priority. That way, the younger villagers won’t need to go off to unfamiliar cities to work, and children can stay with their parents.”

This point deeply moved Wang Xiping.

“Why didn’t they explain all this to me earlier?” he asked.

“How did they explain it to you?” Zhang asked, growing concerned.

“They just said the village’s land had to be consolidated and handed to outside investors.”

Zhang’s expression darkened. These cadres weren’t just doing a poor job—they were undermining the whole effort. They lacked patience and didn’t even understand the county’s strategy themselves.

Zhang stopped his village visits. He had already found the root of the problem. Continuing would be meaningless—he couldn’t visit every village in the county personally.

He immediately called for a halt on all farmland consolidation work in the county and ordered training sessions at every township. First, township cadres needed to understand the county’s strategy. Then, village workers needed full procedural training, with step-by-step guidelines they were required to follow.

Zhang chose Tianbaqiao Town as the model. It had a solid foundation due to the success of Yingpan Village, where people already had a basic understanding of the modern farming concept. Work progressed smoothly there.

Just as Zhang predicted, the work in Tianbaqiao Town went very well. The development of Yingpan Village and Wanyaoshu Village made other villages envious. Yingpan Village had transformed from the poorest to the wealthiest in the township. Every household now lived in beautiful new homes and received compensation payments. On top of that, they held shares in the farm and would receive dividends.

After the expressway opened, travel agencies from nearby cities began sending tour groups to Yingpan Village. Villagers could also sell mountain goods to tourists. Life was getting better and better.

Zhang Jiaohua contacted the Daihua County TV station and produced a special documentary on Yingpan Village, showcasing its development in detail.

By the end of Zhang Jiaohua’s first year as deputy county head, Daihua County had fully launched ecological farms and eco-tourism. At the same time, Tianbaqiao Town had become a shining tourist destination in the southwest.

Tianbaqiao Town transformed from the poorest town in one of the nation’s poorest counties into a prosperous one almost overnight. Massive investment turned it into a nationally prominent town.

During the year-end Daihua County Party Committee Standing Meeting, the mood was joyous. For once, they didn’t have to worry about villagers not making it through the winter or delays in government subsidies. Daihua County had basically achieved full food security. With ongoing development in eco-agriculture and eco-tourism, the future looked even brighter.

“Daihua County’s success is largely thanks to County Chief Zhang. I propose that we nominate him as this year’s outstanding worker and model Party member. What does everyone think?” said Party Secretary Fu Jianping, glancing around the room.

“That’s a no-brainer. If County Chief Zhang doesn’t get it, who else dares to accept?” County Chief Deng Chaokun chimed in.

With the top two leaders showing their support, the rest naturally followed. Besides, rumors suggested Fu Jianping and Deng Chaokun might soon be promoted, and Zhang Jiaohua was likely to become either the county’s top or second-in-command. Whether as county magistrate or Party secretary, the power in Daihua would lie with him.

“Please don’t,” Zhang Jiaohua responded. “Daihua’s development couldn’t have happened through the efforts of just one person. The county committee, government, and every functional department contributed immensely. And most importantly, it was the trust of the people that made it possible. I hope we can live up to that trust and keep this momentum going. After all, we’re still officially listed as a poor county. Let’s all work together and get rid of that label as soon as possible!”

“Well said, Comrade Zhang!” Fu Jianping declared passionately. “Daihua County cannot be satisfied with where we are now. We must not only eliminate poverty, but also grow wealthy. Only then can we truly fulfill our mission!”