"New farmers" bring vitality into modern agriculture in north China

Zhao Yongzhuang (L) operates a drone to spray pesticide in a field in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) 

Located in the eastern foot of Lyuliang mountains in Shanxi, Wenshui County is ideal for potato planting because of its large temperature difference between day and night.

Zhao Yongzhuang, 29, returned to his hometown Wenshui and became a "new farmer" in 2016. The potato cooperative he set up has turned out to be a resounding success, with the rise of its planting area from the original 100 mu (66.7 hectares) up to 3,000 mu (about 200 hectares) and the increase of some 2,000 local villagers' incomes.

Lead by Zhao, these farmers shifted their working style to more scaled-up and highly professional one. They also rotate the planting of potatoes with that of cabbage mustard to further increase their incomes.

Zhao Yongzhuang prepares to water plants with drip irrigation devices in a cabbage mustard field in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Zhao Yongzhuang (L) checks the growth of cabbage mustard seedlings in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 8, 2024. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

Zhao Yongzhuang (C) chats with villagers to learn about the weeding of cabbage mustard field in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 20, 2024. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

Zhao Yongzhuang shows plucked cabbage mustard in a field in Beizhang Village, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Sept. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Zhao Yongzhuang (3rd R) asks villagers about their potato harvest in Nanwulao Village, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 8, 2024. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 20, 2024 shows villagers weeding in a cabbage mustard field in Beizhang Village, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

A villager drives a seeding machine to plant cabbage mustard in a field in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 19, 2024. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

Zhao Yongzhuang (L) and a villager check the growth of cabbage mustard in a field in Beizhang Village, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Sept. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Zhao Yongzhuang checks the operation of drip irrigation devices in a cabbage mustard field in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 20, 2024. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

Zhao Yongzhuang (L) work with a villager to load cabbage mustard seeds into a seeding machine in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 19, 2024. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

Zhao Yongzhuang (L) chats with villagers in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Zhao Yongzhuang (R) chats with a villager to learn about his ploughing operation in Beizhang Village, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 31, 2024 shows villagers weeding in a cabbage mustard field in Beizhang Village, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 20, 2024 shows a field contracted by Zhao Yongzhuang for cabbage mustard planting in Beizhang Township, Wenshui County of north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)