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Poor Farmers Better-Off Through Migration
More than 80,000 farmers have got rid of poverty by migrating out of the Mount Shi area, one of China's poorest areas, in Baise district, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
"The best way out of poverty for residents in Mount Shi area is to resettle in some resources-rich areas," said Huang Aiguo, director of the local Aid-the-Poor Office.
"It is hard and costly to tap this harsh area in need of water, roads and resources."
Baise is one of the 18 poorest regions in China with mountainous areas accounting for over 95 percent of the total land area.
Statistics show that of the total 82,300 migrants from Baise since 1993, about 78,500 farmers have been able to earn an annual income of 1,000 yuan (about 120 US dollars) on average, which guarantees basic food and clothing.
Local government has also provided necessary fund for migrants to move houses, building new homes and buying seeds.
"We mainly plant cash crops, including longan and sugarcane which are planted in areas at low altitude, and walnut and chestnut in areas at higher altitude.
Farmers remaining in Baise have also become better-off as less population enjoy more resources.
The number of poor farmers in Baise totaled 1.87 million in 1990, accounting for 60 percent of the rural population, but now the rate has dropped to 4 percent".
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