Young farmer's creative photos put avocado industry of SW China's Menglian in the spotlight

Through creative photography featuring villagers adorned with accessories made from local avocados and other characteristic agricultural products, a 30-year-old farmer known as Dameng has successfully brought attention to the previously overlooked avocado industry in Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa autonomous county, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Local models, local products

In a photo taken by Dameng, an elderly woman of the Lahu ethnic group is seen laughing heartily with a pair of "headphones" made of avocados on her head, a pair of "glasses" made of avocado leaves, and a striking "necklace" made of avocados. This creatively crafted piece gives off a very trendy and fashionable vibe.

A creative photo taken by a 30-year-old farmer known as Dameng shows an elderly woman of the Lahu ethnic group in southwest China's Yunnan Province laughing heartily with a pair of "headphones" made of avocados on her head, a pair of "glasses" made of avocado leaves, and a striking "necklace" made of avocados. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of Dameng)

One of the most popular photos Dameng has taken in Menglian features a local girl called Rongrong. In the photo, an avocado hanging from a branch covers one of Rongrong's eyes with the girl giving a warm smile.

This photo has been widely circulated, appearing on the cover of a news magazine and displayed in places like the terminal of Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, as well as Shanghai Metro Line 2 carriages. It's used for promoting Yunnan's culture and tourism industries.

Dameng knows every "model" in his creative photos well, such as a mother of two who loves eating nuts grown in her own orchard, a cool uncle who is known as the person in Menglian that poses for photos the best, and an 85-year-old grandmother who cares about her personal image so much that she always changes into clean clothes before the photoshoot.

As more photos were taken, the accessories used by these "models" have gradually expanded from avocados to locally grown macadamia nuts, lemons, green beans, and more.

After Dameng posted the captivating photos online, they attracted numerous netizens, enabling them to learn about the villagers in the mountains in the border area of Yunnan and the local avocado industry.

"I captured their hearty laughter through my lens. This purest form of happiness and joy is highly infectious and should be seen by more people," Dameng said.

"I hope to showcase avocados and the vibrant lives behind them," he said, explaining that he wants to leverage the creative photos to introduce Menglian avocados and the lovely, unpretentious people there to the outside world.

Returning home after exploring the world

Born in a village inhabited by people of the Hani ethnic group in Yunnan, Dameng was eager to explore the world beyond the mountains when he was young.

He told reporters from the Yangtse Evening Post that before the age of 18, his only goal was to go to college and leave the mountains. However, after experiencing multiple jobs and traveling to over 30 countries, the man returned to the mountains in Yunnan to grow avocados.

A man in Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa autonomous county, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, poses for a photo with accessories made of lemons. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of Dameng)

Dameng has worked as a public welfare photographer and captured photos of the elderly and children in various locations across western China. He always carried a camera and printer with him, giving the photos he took to the local people free of charge.

His long-standing experience in documenting the cultural characteristics of different places laid the groundwork for him to create creative photos for the locals in Menglian.

In 2020, Dameng came to Menglian upon the invitation of a friend of the Wa ethnic group. In early 2021, he decided to settle in the county.

"When I saw the avocados covering the mountains, I decided to stay," he recalled.

He was deeply attracted by the colorful cultures of ethnic minority groups in Menglian, and felt he could document them through his camera, Dameng explained.

At that time, the county just introduced the avocado industry, which made him feel like he "could do something here," the man added.

From a photographer to a farmer

Since 2021, Dameng has contracted land to grow avocados and establish his own farm in Menglian. It takes three years for an avocado tree to bear its first fruits from planting. During this period, Dameng grew from a novice in avocado cultivation to an expert in planting, selling, and promoting avocados.

A photo of a girl known as Rongrong taken by Dameng, a 30-year-old farmer who is known for promoting local avocados online through creative photography in Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa autonomous county, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of Dameng)

So far, his avocado planting area has expanded from the initial 23 mu (about 1.53 hectares) to 300 mu. In the avocado harvest season of 2023, Dameng achieved sales revenue of 1 million yuan (about $141,251).

He also planted 500 mu of avocados in collaboration with about 500 local farmer households. He encourages villagers to intercrop in front of and behind their houses or in their coffee fields to increase land utilization and income.

He told Yangtse Evening Post reporters that after years of effort, the sales of Menglian's local specialty agricultural products have increased, and the villagers' incomes have also risen.

According to Dameng, he has invested around 2 million yuan in avocado cultivation over the years. Despite the risks involved, he believes that the business is a worthwhile investment and is confident about its future.

"I want to move forward to a broader world with the villagers here and the Menglian avocados," he said during an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).

Changing his home for the better, while it changes him

Like many young entrepreneurs, Dameng promotes his products through social media platforms. However, what sets him apart is that while promoting his products, he continues to use his camera to document the ordinary people of Menglian, hoping to provide the outside world with a better understanding of the area.

Dameng, a 30-year-old farmer who is known for promoting local avocados online through creative photography, poses for a photo with villagers in Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa autonomous county, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of Dameng)

Dameng named his brand of avocados "Avocadopia," which is supposed to convey his idea of an agricultural production method that is friendly to the environment, nature, land, the surrounding villages, and the local villagers.

"Avocado cultivation should help villagers live a better life," Dameng noted.

His team has also proposed a concept called "avocado and its friends," which involves exploring vertical farming and biodiversity conservation to establish an open, inclusive, and friendly farm running upon the contribution of multiple parties.

In addition to avocados, his farm currently grows over 30 different crops including coffee beans, lemons, and macadamia nuts.

Furthermore, Dameng is developing tourism products featuring the integration of the culture, agriculture, and tourism industries, in a bid to allow visitors to Menglian to experience the characteristic production and lifestyle of the local ethnic groups in an immersive way.

While changing the lives of the local people, Dameng feels that he is also being changed by the land beneath his feet.

"I feel that I am more practical than before, but I still hold onto my dreams. Now, I am a practical idealist, a dreamer with bare feet on the ground," he said.