Entrepreneurs help drive rural revitalization in small Beijing village

In recent years, Jinpoluo village in Beijing has attracted a batch of entrepreneurs to boost rural revitalization by vigorously developing industries like eco-friendly agriculture and rural tourism, which have created more jobs for villagers, fattened their wallets, and turned the village into a popular rural tourism destination.

In 2018, four female master's graduates who returned to China decided to establish an eco-friendly farm in Jinpoluo located in Xiwengzhuang township, Miyun district, Beijing after they found that water and soil conditions in the village met the standards for nature reserves.

"We want to show the idyllic beauty," said Wang Jing, one of the farm’s founders, explaining why they established the farm.

①: An eco-friendly farm in Jinpoluo village. (Photo/People's Daily Overseas Edition)

②: Li Yifang (left) and Wang Jing pose for a photo in Jinpoluo village. (Photo/People's Daily Overseas Edition)

③: Liang Qing (2nd from left) and children pose for a photo in Jinpoluo village. (Photo/People's Daily Overseas Edition)

④: A view of a B&B hotel in Jinpoluo village. (Photo/People's Daily Overseas Edition)

⑤: Luo Moufang in Jinpoluo village. (Photo/People's Daily Overseas Edition)

⑥: A view of a garden in Jinpoluo village. (Photo/People's Daily Overseas Edition)

As the first eco-friendly farm focusing on "food and agricultural education," which emphasizes hands-on farming experience, in Beijing, it rolls out parent-child activities according to the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar and traditional festivals, during which relevant knowledge of food in the whole process of production, processing, and cooking are introduced.

The farm has driven the development of rural tourism and the upgrading of ecology-friendly agriculture in Jinpoluo village, and become a "test field" for rural revitalization in Beijing.

"We can harvest agricultural products the whole year. We also enjoy good times and realize our entrepreneurial dreams," Wang said.

There are 10 villagers' groups in Jinpoluo village. The villagers’ committee regards entrepreneurs in the village as the 11th "villagers' group," which now consists of 48 members.

Liang Qing, one of the entrepreneurs, is the founder of a popular B&B hotel in the village. Liang was once an executive of an internet company. When she came to the village to rent a piece of land to grow vegetables in 2015, she found that the idyllic village enjoys a sound foundation for developing tourism and is an ideal place for B&B hotels.

Liang later turned an abandoned dwelling into a garden-style B&B hotel featuring a beautiful courtyard and a coffee shop, attracting tourists who yearn for a pastoral lifestyle.

Young entrepreneurs bring an urban lifestyle and aesthetic standards to the countryside, promote rural construction, enable more people to understand the beauty of the countryside, and boost the integrated development of urban and rural areas, Liang said.

In May 2021, Liang invited entrepreneur Luo Moufang to Jinpoluo village to discuss with local officials how to drive rural revitalization. Thanks to the efforts of Luo and other entrepreneurs, a garden-style B&B hotel started operating in the village.

"We plan to build more garden-style B&B hotels in the village," Luo said.

Jinpoluo village became known by entrepreneurs in 2012. Yi Shuhua, then Party chief of the village, promoted the development of ecology-friendly agriculture and leisure agriculture, and the pollution-free way of planting. Thanks to Yi's efforts, the village soon attracted the first batch of entrepreneurs from urban areas.

An increasing number of entrepreneurs have chosen Jinpoluo village to start their businesses. "We create a favorable environment for entrepreneurs," said Wang Yijiang, incumbent Party chief of the village.

With their business philosophy, management models, and professional technologies, entrepreneurs have helped villagers in Jinpoluo increase their incomes at an accelerated pace. The village has also realized the integrated development of agriculture, commerce, culture, tourism, and sports.

In recent years, Jinpoluo village has combined local agricultural products with folk culture tourism, and built an idyllic complex featuring things like picking fruits, farming experience, and science popularization.

Jinpoluo was selected for the demonstration of China's "one village, one product" project to boost local industrial development, and create a national-level key village for rural tourism development, and a national-level beautiful village.

In 2022, the village recorded nearly 200,000 tourist visits, with tourism revenue reaching 20 million yuan ($2.8 million).

The village has established a cherry planting cooperative, a millet planting cooperative, an agricultural cooperative, and a B&B and tourism cooperative. It has vigorously developed programs such as boutique B&B hotels, eco-friendly farms, and agricultural education, and fostered industries that bring prosperity to villagers. As a result, the per capita annual income of the village increased from 15,000 yuan in 2012 to 32,600 yuan in 2022.

"Villagers master more skills, thicken their pockets, and make their lives better," Wang Yijiang said.