Imagine a village tucked away in the southwest of the Chinese mainland, once struggling with few job opportunities and a quiet way of life. This is Zhuangzitian, a tiny community in Yunnan Province. 🌄
Fast forward to today, and Zhuangzitian is now the leading center for cactus cultivation in the country. Thanks to a spark of creativity and hard work, locals have turned prickly plants into a booming business! 🌵💡
How did they do it? Villagers planted acres of edible cacti and developed modern farming techniques to boost yield and quality. Training programs and community workshops helped farmers learn the best ways to care for and harvest the hearty succulents.
In August, Zhuangzitian celebrated a milestone: exporting 20 tonnes of edible cactus leaves to Southeast Asia! This marks the first time the Chinese mainland has shipped edible cactus abroad. 🚀🌍
The impact is huge. Cactus farming has created jobs, raised incomes, and breathed new life into rural life. Small shops, packing plants, and logistics services have sprung up, too, as the village adapts to growing demand.
This cactus success story shows how innovative agriculture can spark rural development. For other villages dreaming of growth, Zhuangzitian stands as a green (and spiky) beacon of hope. 💚
Next stop? Who knows! But one thing’s certain: when life gives you cacti, make a thriving economy out of it. 😉
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
