China's battle against poverty marches on

Updated: 2016-10-26
( Xinhua ) Village Party chief Ma Junwu said the yield of corn improved from 300 grams per mu (one hectare equals 15 mu) to 1,500 grams per mu.

After using the plastic film, Ma's farmland not only provided enough food for the family but also forage for the cattle.

With the goal of building an all-round moderately prosperous society by 2020, China has been exerting ever greater efforts in poverty alleviation.

A total of 66.63 million people in rural areas were lifted out of poverty from 2012 to 2015. From 2010 to 2015, the number of people in poverty in Huining was reduced by nearly 140,000 as the poverty rate dropped from 45.3 to 24.7 percent.

Ma Wenming is among the villagers who have shaken off poverty. Last September, he used a 50,000 yuan poverty relief loan to buy four Swiss breeds of cattle. The cattle grew fast and sold at a good price.

With profits made from raising the cattle, and government subsidies, Ma built a brick house and spent 2,000 yuan installing five electric lights inside. He plans to move into the house during the Lunar New Year after finishing the interior decoration.

At the same time, his mud cattleshed was renovated into a brick one.

Ma is looking forward to next month when the village will gain access to tap water. "Currently, we have to fetch water for the cattle from 20 kilometers away every ten days, which costs us 60 yuan each time," he said.

Tong Lin, director of poverty relief office of Huining, said, "Despite the achievements in poverty alleviation, there is still a long way to go, as our ultimate goal is to help the residents live a well-off life."