Rags to Riches – Story of the Kubuqi Farmers

A New Life

Chen Ningbu is a Mongolian in his late 60s, and was once Party secretary of Daotu Village. Pointing to the low, shabby houses, Chen said, “These are the witnesses of the changes in the Kubuqi Desert. We should preserve them.” The hamlet was once hemmed in by the desert, with sand dunes rising up so high that they dwarfed the houses. A dozen households in the village moved out in succession. For a while, Chen found the idea of moving increasingly appealing.

To tackle the problem, a desertification control company came to the desert. As trees grew, the sand dunes got smaller. At first, local farmers had qualms about the company’s practices. They worried that their land would be confiscated; but the village chief Chen Ningbu understood that to help farmers shake off the yoke of poverty, they had to change their ideas.

In the village, however, even planting a tree or erecting a telegraph pole would necessitate a lot of persuasion. “Barren sandy land is worthless in our hands,” Chen explained. “However, after scientific restoration and reclamation, it can be put to use. With road built and trees planted in front of their houses, local herders will benefit.” Persuaded by Chen, herders gradually placed their trust in the government and the company’s desertification control efforts, and finally became reliant on it. “Now herders often say they owe everything to the industrialized sand-harnessing practices by companies like Elion Resources Group. It’s the reason our lives are getting better and more promising, and our kids have easy access to schools. They hope these people-friendly companies will stay here forever,” said Chen.

In 2013, by renting out his barren sandy land to a company, Chen’s family made over RMB 600,000. There are seven members, each receiving RMB 95,000. This has made it possible for the family to move to a spacious new house and start a new life.