As a result of the hard work of the members of Yongli Vegetable Cooperative (in Jinping, a village in Zhangxian, a county in Northwest China's Gansu Province), various vegetables grow vigorously in the cooperative's vegetable base. Many farmers are grateful to Wang Yufang, president of the cooperative, who, during the past several years, has been working hard to ensure rural residents' well-being, while leading the cooperative to remarkable success.

Cadres with Zhangxian Women's Federation in recent years have led women in contributing to the promotion of China's social and economic development. As a result, outstanding entrepreneurs (in Zhangxian), who have helped rural residents escape poverty by developing production, have appeared in large numbers. Wang is an example of such entrepreneurs.

Wang during the past three years has led farmers in cultivating more than 300 mu (20 hectares) of vegetables, and more than 100 mu (7 hectares) of mushroom mycelium (a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae that make up the vegetative portion of a fungus or fungus-like bacterial colony), combined, in Zhangxian. That, in turn, has promoted local economic development.

In 1991, Wang was born into a poverty-stricken rural family in Jinping. Soon after she completed her graduate studies, in 2019, Wang returned to her hometown. She wanted to use what she had learned to repay her hometown for the care and assistance she had received. As she was aware that Jinping's fertile land and humid climate was suitable for growing vegetables, Wang decided to help farmers attain wealth by cultivating vegetables.

She realized she should teach farmers how to use scientific and technological knowledge in production, so she could help them get rich. So, Wang took every opportunity (including learning from agricultural technicians and reading books to teach herself about the skills) to improve her vegetable-growing skills. She also attended various training courses, provided by the local government, to help farmers improve their agricultural-production skills. At last, Wang yielded fruitful results through unremitting efforts — she has since led many farmers (in Zhangxian) in cultivating vegetables. Their efforts have paid off, as they have reaped a bumper harvest of vegetables within a year.

Shortly after that, Wang made great efforts to improve her skills in growing mushroom mycelium. During the past few years, she has taught more than 100 farmers how to cultivate mycelium.

With the help of the local government and rural residents, Wang in 2019 established Yongli Vegetable Cooperative. The cooperative leads farmers in growing vegetables in the base, and buys farmers’ vegetables at preferential prices. As Wang has used scientific methods to manage Yongli, the cooperative has developed soundly during the past several years.

Within a short time , Wang established an e-commerce service center (in the village). The center helps farmers sell, online, agricultural products to urban residents. As a result, an increasing number of farmers (in Jinping and its neighboring villages) have attained wealth by growing vegetables and fruits during the past few years.

Wang also registered a brand name — Yuanyou — for ecological agricultural products grown by the cooperative, so it would be easier to expand her business. During the past few years, the cooperative has developed into a multifunctional base, in which visitors can enjoy the views and pick fruits and vegetables. Wang vows to make greater efforts to help local farmers promote sales of their vegetables and fruits, so Yuanyou products will be known across the country.

When she learned the massive flood had occurred in Central China's Henan Province in July 2021, Wang immediately organized the cooperative's members to pick vegetables in the base, so they could donate the vegetables to the victims of the flood.

In October 2021, a truck, loaded with 5.75 tons of vegetables, arrived in the anti -epidemic "battlefield" (in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province). The vegetables were donated by Wang and the cooperative's members.

Given her outstanding work performance, Wang was elected a deputy to the People's Congress of Zhangxian. She said she was greatly inspired by the honor, and she vowed to make greater efforts to lead the cooperative's members in helping more rural residents live better lives.

Photos Supplied by Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly December 2022 issue)