Healthy living for tomorrow

Cao Xiushuai, 31, had the idea of venturing into rural business in 2020 after searching for organic vegetables for his son. At that time, Cao, a graduate in business administration from Wuhan University, worked in the real estate industry in Jinan, Shandong province, earning a monthly salary of 15,000 yuan.

"People are paying more and more attention to healthy food. So I thought why not develop a shared farm through which urban residents can choose a piece of land they like and entrust us to grow healthy vegetables for them, or they can grow the vegetables themselves," said Cao.

"Our customers can not only harvest the produce they grow but experience firsthand the growth process of crops," he added.

Encouraged by local policies on inviting partners to jointly develop rural areas, Cao directed his focus toward harnessing rural resources.

After six months of research, he identified Gongcun village in Jinan's Shizhong district as an ideal location for his project. Nestled in the mountains, the village lacked extensive arable land suitable for large-scale mechanized farming.

"The land that locals were reluctant to cultivate presented an excellent opportunity for urban residents seeking a rural farming experience," said Cao.

He then leased parcels of land from the village and established Chuhe Farm.

One day while setting up fencing for the farm, he noticed a person who was foraging for wild vegetables nearby. After a brief 30-minute conversation, the person signed up for a 60-square-meter plot, becoming Cao's first customer.

Within a week, he had 10 more customers.

During a hiking trip with his customers at a village adjacent to the farm, the stark contrast in scenery caught Cao's attention.

"There were lush mountains in the distance and neglected old houses up close," said Cao. He decided to expand the farm's development path and venture into the homestay industry.

Partnering with three villages, Cao renovated several idle houses and leased them to people wanting to experience rural life.

Besides paying rent to village homeowners, for each successful deal, the company contributes 10,000 yuan to the village collective entity and pays an annual property service fee of 800 yuan.

"This model not only provides urban customers with scenic retreats but also generates income for villagers from idle properties," said Cao.

Currently, the farm distributes 70,000 yuan in dividends annually to the Guangcun village collective entity, pays 70,000 yuan for land-use fees, and pays over 200,000 yuan in paying for employed village residents.

Zhang Tao, head of the Shandong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, said during a news conference last year: "Talented people are crucial in vitalizing rural areas. We will improve policies to support them so that they can go on to achieve success, and so that this endeavor can become a model for others to follow throughout the province."

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