Farmers enjoy more time for work, leisure after cropland trusteeship program frees them from heavy toil in the fields

This year, Qian Shengming hired a “caretaker” to tend to a part of his 1.3 hectares of wheat. The new helper, who is an experienced agricultural manager, has taken over almost all of the farm work from Qian, being paid 150 yuan ($23.2) per mu (one mu is 667 square meters) of cropland managed.

Photo shows newly harvested wheat grain crops. (Chinanews.com/Bao Qianqian)

Qian is a farmer living in a village in Huangzhong district, Xining city in northwest China’s Qinghai province. He has spent many years toiling in the fields, and because he had little time to find another full-time job, he could only do odd jobs to support his family. This year, however, with the “caretaker” helping him with all his tasks, from planting to harvesting, Qian suddenly saw his hands become freed up.

“One day, I received a phone call from the manager, saying that he had finished harvesting the crops, asking me to transport the grains back to my place,” Qian said. “They tended to my crops very well and the yields were high. Next year, I will entrust them to take care of all of my cropland and I will personally plan to find another job elsewhere.”

Luo Shengyun is an agricultural manager from Huangzhong district. These days, he has been busy preparing to harvest 3,000 mu of farmland planted with wheat, beans and potatoes. The crops are growing well, instilling confidence in the fellow farmers.

Photo shows a man driving agricultural machinery used to harvest wheat in a field. (Chinanews.com/Bao Qianqian)

Statistics indicate that under the cropland trusteeship program, about 30,000 mu of farmland owned by 8,000 farmers are being tended to by 14 agricultural cooperatives in Huangzhong district throughout the year.

Ma Changlu, an agricultural manager, said farming machinery has made it more convenient and efficient to grow and harvest crops, explaining that he can harvest several hundred mu of wheat within just several days through the use of harvesters.

Su Shengfu, who takes care of about 5,000 mu of cropland for farmers from six villages, said he has deployed agricultural machines more than 100 times this year for ploughing , seeding, pest and disease control, and harvesting.

An official from Huangzhong district said that the trusteeship program has realized large-scale management and production, freeing farmers from doing heavy farm work and allowed them to make extra money by working outside their hometowns.