The villagers scolded them for "blind planting". Why did they choose to return to the countryside for farming?
As my country's agriculture has moved towards intelligence, modernization, Internetization, and high technology, it may not even qualify for farming if you study hard!
In Qiyang County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, there is a farming team all with master’s and doctoral degrees, and some work in universities and research institutes. The two protagonists stick to the rural front line and engage in scientific research, determined to use their lifelong learning to develop agriculture.
Why do they choose to return to farming in rural areas?
The team has a total of 10 people. The leader is Chen Xiaolong. He graduated from Xiamen University in 2018 and has been dealing with rice research. In response to his hometown call, he resolutely gave up his high salary and returned to his hometown of Jiangshan Village, Yangjiaotang Town, Qiyang County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, as a special high-level urgently needed talent, and formed a biotechnology team with 8 other Ph.D. Open the road to farming.
Chen Xiaolong (right) and Huang Yifeng (left) are at the edge of the test field. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of Qiyang County
"Returning to the countryside is not just farming, it is also researching farming. Farmers also need to learn theory and technology. Carrying out production, research and research in the countryside can directly promote the transformation of results." Chen Xiaolong, who is good at crop genetic breeding and ecological agricultural product development technology, wants to use innovative agriculture Science and technology provide a force for food security.
Huang Yifeng, a 32-year-old from Wuzhou, Guangxi, came from an ordinary rural family. He grew up in the countryside and his parents are all authentic farmers. Since childhood, he has followed his parents to do farm work. Through his own efforts, he was admitted to Xiamen University to study botany. After graduating from a master's degree, he was engaged in the cultivation and industrialization of Chinese herbal medicine stem cells in a biotechnology company in Xiamen. He is now assisting Chen Xiaolong in rice research and planting production in rural areas.
Huang Yifeng, a graduate student. Photo courtesy of interviewees
"There are indeed many conditions in cities that are far superior to county towns and villages. They have high wages, a good working environment, convenient transportation, and many opportunities for development, but they are also under great pressure. For young people, ordinary jobs want to settle in the city. It’s not easy and requires huge effort and effort. For example, high house prices may be a mountain that most young people can’t cross.” Huang Yifeng said that with the rapid development of China’s economy and society, rural areas are full of opportunities and challenges. , Provides a broad stage for young people to display their talents and realize their ideal ambitions.
Chen Xiaolong transferred over 200 acres of land in Jiangshan Village, Yangjiaotang Township, Qiyang County, his hometown, as a test field. Photo courtesy of interviewees
In recent years, the introduction of a series of favorable policies by the state to vigorously support agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship has also allowed the Chen Xiaolong team to see opportunities. "We are more confident and more motivated to go back to the countryside to work hard, and achieve personal value through the development of rural agriculture and research and development of agricultural scientific and technological achievements." Chen Xiaolong is confident.
The road to farming encountered criticism and incomprehension
Through inspections and visits to many townships in Qiyang, the team of Chen Xiaolong chose to transfer more than 200 acres of land in Jiangshan Village, Yangjiaotang Town with relatively convenient transportation and sufficient water resources as a test field. The new variety Qishan Rouge rice also helps improve farmland soil and restore rural ecological environment.
At first, the first hurdle encountered by highly-educated Chen Xiaolong and Huang Yifeng when they returned to farming in the countryside was their parents' misunderstanding. "Parents are unacceptable in thinking, they feel that they must find a decent job with a high degree of education. Some villagers will also speak some gossip, and former colleagues also suggested staying in colleges and research institutes, which is relatively stable." Chen Xiaolong revealed that To protect the natural environment in the countryside, he insisted on not applying pesticides and fertilizers on the farms, and weeding instead of spraying herbicides, but weeding artificially. Some workers who did not understand directly went on strike.
The seedlings inserted in the test field are growing happily. Photo courtesy of interviewees
Huang Yifeng's parents were not very supportive at first, thinking that his son had returned to the farmland after reading the book for so many years and found it useless. "Every time I go back during the Chinese New Year, my relatives and friends ask me where I work, and my parents will be a little embarrassed to say that. My relatives will also persuade me to take a civil service exam and enter a public institution." Huang Yifeng said.
When he first started, the Chen Xiaolong team focused on improving and restoring fields and ecology, and the yield per mu was about 100 kg to 200 kg. "The villagers objected that we did not use pesticides and scolded us for blind farming, saying that it is not as good as farming for farmers to come back with a high degree of education." Huang Yifeng said that they would patiently explain their farming patterns and ideas at first. Just let go and let others talk."
Solar frequency vibration insecticidal lamps are used for physical pest control. Photo courtesy of interviewees
Use knowledge and technology to change perspectives and get parental support
At present, the team of Dr. Chen Xiaolong has cultivated three new rice varieties and will submit them for approval at the provincial level and above to apply for the protection of new variety rights; obtained one utility model patent authorization, published eight papers, and four theoretical research papers and scientific and technological innovation results, Industrial achievements are improving and advancing.
After testing by authoritative organizations, the rice in their basic real estate has no pesticide residues, and the heavy metal content is far lower than the national limit standard and the EU limit standard. The rice quality index has reached the first-class rice standard, and it has been sold for 25 yuan a catty. Set the pollution-free production technology system of ecological high-quality rice in hilly and mountainous areas in the south.
The team of Chen Xiaolong scientifically solves pesticide residues and heavy metal residues in agricultural products, improves soil texture, and restores the ecological environment. The number of wild animals in the field has increased significantly. Photo courtesy of interviewees
"They have combined the advantages of science and technology knowledge to agriculture through the combination of production and research, science and technology farming, and scientific management. For example, rice breeding, in addition to traditional cross breeding, also uses mutation breeding and other modern breeding methods to cultivate new varieties, which are used in production. The solar frequency vibration trap lights attract and kill insects, and monitor the growth status of plants with the help of scientific instruments." Li Liang, mayor of Yangjiaotang Township, said that last year, the 200-mu demonstration field planted by the team of Chen Xiaolong in Jiangshan Village provided employment for 50 villagers. The per capita income increased by 2,000 yuan.
Li Liang said that the local people began to have a different view of highly educated talents returning to the countryside to farm, thinking that it was a waste of talents and having doubts. Later, I saw the changes brought about by Chen Xiaolong's farming technology and planting concept, and I greatly appreciated and admired it.
"It is a good thing for highly-educated talents to farm in the countryside. Bringing new technologies and new concepts to the cultivation of crops and green food production in the countryside can also be used as a driving force, but people need to guide the concept of highly-educated talents returning to the countryside." Li Liang think.
Members of the scientific research team are observing the growth of seedlings in the test field. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of Qiyang County
Now, both Chen Xiaolong and Huang Yifeng's parents support their son's farming. "They found that what we did was beneficial to the countryside and agriculture, and often used their savings to support my farming career." Huang Yifeng said.
Drive more young talents to join rural construction
In the summer season, in a test field of the Chen Xiaolong team, more than 900 rice varieties are undergoing insect resistance, disease resistance, and lodging resistance tests under natural conditions. Because there are no laboratories in rural areas, sampling and inspection affect the efficiency and conversion rate of achievements. Some have been tracking and testing for three years. At present, only three high-quality rice varieties that are suitable for the local environment and climate characteristics and have stable performance are selected.
The members of the scientific research team inspect the seedling growth in the test field. Photo courtesy of interviewees
"Some genetics are not yet stable, it will change, we need to continue to cultivate in the production research process, which requires a long-term process to cultivate it into a good variety." Chen Xiaolong is observing the growth of rice in the laboratory It also intends to advise the government to guide villagers to raise awareness of protecting water sources and wildlife, so as to improve farmland soil and restore the ecological environment.
This year, they also intend to continue to cultivate and screen out the characteristic high-quality rice varieties that are more suitable for planting in southern mountainous areas, research and develop highly efficient and environmentally friendly organic fertilizers, form industrialization, and further establish and improve the ecologically sound production technology system of pollution-free rice. In the next 3 years, at least 100 farmers will be provided with income-generating opportunities. At the same time, they are actively planning to establish rural cooperatives, training professional farmers, and promoting the ecological agricultural cultivation model, which will further promote the employment income of a large number of rural laborers and help rural revitalization.
Green seedlings. Photo courtesy of interviewees
"Promoting agricultural modernization requires young intellectuals with knowledge and skills. We hope that through our own work experience in the rural frontline, we will encourage more young talents to join the rural construction and jointly help China's agricultural modernization." Chen Xiaolong said that they are also active Cooperate with Xiamen University, Hunan Agricultural University, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, etc., use the good experimental conditions and human resources of universities to jointly carry out scientific and technological research, and promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.
The villagers are planting seedlings. Photo courtesy of interviewees
However, the shortage of funds, the shortage of young talents, and the limited scientific research conditions in county towns and villages made it difficult to establish a professional laboratory as a bottleneck restricting Chen Xiaolong's team. "I hope that the provincial level will establish archives of high-level intellectuals or experts in rural areas, set up high-level talent workstations and university-local joint research centers, provide supporting funds and apply for project qualifications, and carry out agricultural science, production technology, agricultural management, and agricultural trade research according to local conditions. ." Huang Yifeng suggested.
Reporter: Tang Xiaoqing