Hu Jihua's business model - a village cooperative that sells farm produce and local delicacies - is constantly being challenged.
This year, the weather has been the main enemy for residents of Lequn, a village in the mountains of Guizhou province, after searing heat damaged the crops. Moreover, a slump in the price of coix, a cereal crop also known as Job's tears and grown by many people in the village, and the loss of many fields of konjac, or elephant yam, to a crop disease have added to the problems.
"Our losses were huge this year. As a result of abnormally high temperatures and humidity, we lost a lot of crops. Overall, hundreds of hectares worth 600,000($85,700) to 700,000 yuan have been basically wasted." Hu said, pointing to a large area of land that has produced nothing but worthless grass.
His older brother, Hu Jixue, had long lived below the national annual poverty line of 2,600 yuan per person. Struggling to feed his five children, Hu Jixue joined his brother's cooperative by investing his 3mu (0.2 hectares) of land in the operation, which brings him an extra 2,000 yuan per year. In addition, now his land is worked by other villagers, he is free to concentrate on his other job as a glazier.
"The harvest was bad. We lost money on the coix, because the buyers forced the price down to 1.8 yuan per 500 grams, and they only paid that for completely dry grain. Look, this grain was dry a couple of days ago, but now the rain has dampened it. If it rots, we'll get nothing," Hu Jixue said.
The setbacks have affected Hu Jihua more than the other villagers: "I am the head of the village, so I must shoulder the biggest responsibility. I have taken out a loan, and am 570,000 yuan in debt."
However, he has devised a new solution producing beef jerky with authentic Hui flavors, which makes good use of the ethnic and cultural traditions in Lequn, where about half of the population of 4,000 are members of ethnic groups.
Having formulated the idea, Hu Jihua summoned villagers' representatives and explained his new blueprint.
Ma Minguang, one of the representatives at the meeting, was firmly in favor of the new approach. "This new factory is great news. For example, when I wanted to sell a cow on the street, I had to walk a long way (out of the village), and that tired me out."
The 43-year-old's primary concern is the welfare of his family, because his father and mother are both disabled, while his wife has serious mental health issues. He also has a daughter at primary school.
"As long as they are able to build the factory, our thinking is that we will just have to take good care of our cattle, feed them well and be dedicated to our business, then we can sell them to the factory. It will be a great opportunity," he said.
In 2012, the Outline of Development-oriented Poverty Reduction for Rural People with Disabilities (2011-20) was issued. It emphasized that impoverished people with disabilities are key targets of poverty alleviation measures, and must be given preferential status when polices are formulated.
Under a new policy, Hu Jihua's cooperative is likely to qualify for a number of additional zero-interest loans that would buy them time to assess their new business model.
"I don't have any big ideas. It's still the same old plan - to make people's lives better and to make a little money for myself," he said at his home, where the grain is stored. "As long as I can support my children, bring harmony back to my family, and improve the lives of the local people, that's what I will do."
(China Daily 12/16/2016 page6)
