Industrial development key to county's poverty alleviation

In recent years, Donglan county in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang automous region has been promoting the development of its characteristic industries as part of its poverty alleviation efforts, producing remarkable achievements.

"The poverty alleviation work in Donglan should focus on industrial development," said Huang Xianchang, Party secretary of Donglan county.

Agricultural production demonstration bases for mangoes, grapes, Chinese chestnuts, and tea-oil trees have been established in 50 administrative villages of the county.

The grape industry demonstration park in Dongli village of Wuzhuan town was built in November 2016, covering an area of 300 mu (20 hectares). Impoverished people in the village can participate in the industrial development through land transfer and labor service.

"The land transfer involves 530 people from 126 households in Dongli village, with an annual income of more than 90,000 yuan ($12,712.74). The income of workers total more than 300,000 yuan," said Liang Xianyong, person in charge of the demonstration park.

A modern characteristic agriculture demonstration area for black rice was also established in the county.

To date, 3,700 mu of black rice has been planted at the core area of the demonstration area, as well as 36,000 mu in other parts of the county. A total of 24,200 households have planted black rice, of which 2,890 were considered impoverished, with 980 families being lifted out of poverty.

The first phase of the high-tech industrial park in Donglan county, which has 35 million yuan in investment from the Shenzhen municipal and Longhua district governments, has been completed. To date, two electronics firms have been introduced into the industrial park, offering jobs to poor households that have been relocated to ensure their incomes.

It is expected that the industrial park can provide about 10,000 jobs and lift about 3,300 people out of poverty after it is fully completed.