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From Dust to Prosperity: Shaanxi's Green Revolution
23 Oct
Summary
- Farmers swapped fields for trees, improving incomes significantly.
- Once barren hills now boast 72.9% green coverage.
- Villagers' incomes rose from 660 yuan to over 10,000 yuan annually.
Decades ago, farmers in northern Shaanxi province endured harsh sun, seeking shade under clothes. Today, the hills of Nangou village offer cool respite under abundant trees. This transformation began in the 1990s with the "Grain for Green" program, encouraging farmland conversion to forest and grassland.
Initially hesitant, villagers like Yan Zhixiong were concerned about food security. The government's promise of grain compensation and visible grain deliveries eased their doubts. After initial reluctance, villagers embraced the afforestation, meticulously planting and tending each sapling as if it were a child.
The effort was arduous; villagers, lacking gloves, worked with bare hands, their palms developing calluses. By 1996, Nangou's average annual income was a mere 660 yuan. Today, incomes exceed 10,000 yuan, driven by forestry, diverse crops, small businesses, livestock, and tourism.
Bai Tao, a villager, established a campsite in 2024, expecting over 100,000 yuan annually from his culinary business. The region's green coverage surged from 19.6% in 1997 to 72.9%. This success mirrors a new "Long March," a testament to collective perseverance and the realization that "clear waters and green mountains make people prosperous."
