"The pears grown now are big and sweet, and the taste is different from before." Since 2020, Lao Wang, a fruit farmer in Xixian County, Linfen, Shanxi Province, has handed over 5 mu of orchards to the team of Shanxi Anjun UAV Technology Co., Ltd. for custody. With the support of the Fruit Tree Research Institute of Shanxi Agricultural University, the Yuluxiang produced by using drones to spray drugs, expanding tree spacing and switching to environmentally-friendly fertilizers tastes better and sells at a higher price.
Zhang Jihui, general manager of Anjun Company, was very pleased to see that his entrepreneurial team was recognized by local farmers. Since May 2019, this entrepreneurial team composed of more than 70 veterans has explored agricultural science and technology services and centralized custody planting in Linfen. What is the opportunity for this group of veterans to join the agricultural field? What impetus does this model bring to the revitalization of local villages?
Veterans turned into leaders of science and technology to help agriculture.
With the effective connection between poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, the transformation of agricultural production mode has gradually raised the requirements for rural labor force, technology and capital, while scientific and technological innovation has injected new vitality into the development of traditional agriculture.
As the editor-in-chief of a local agricultural internal periodical in Linfen, Shanxi Province, Zhang Jihui, who has been engaged in propaganda work in the agricultural field for many years, is quite sensitive to the new trend of agricultural development. He also deeply feels that there are many contradictions between the local agricultural production and the development of modern agricultural production.
Zhang Jihui’s team insisted on advanced mechanical training for retired soldiers, returning youths and local farmers.
At the same time, I grew up in a family with many veterans, which also made Zhang Jihui pay special attention to the living conditions of veterans. "When some veterans around them are self-employed, they suffer from lack of academic qualifications and technical ability, and it is often difficult to get stable jobs." The veterans’ excellent style of hard work, strong execution and helpfulness is just suitable for the needs of agricultural science and technology service. So, Zhang Jihui came up with an idea — — Combine the difficulties faced in agricultural production with the difficulties of retired soldiers and do something meaningful.
Subsequently, the Anjun Agricultural Science and Technology Service Team came into being under the guidance of Zhang Jihui’s efforts and the China Retired Soldiers Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Promotion Association. By using new agricultural machinery and equipment such as plant protection drones and intelligent tracked vehicles, they carried out specialized services of agricultural production custody and intensive production and sales, effectively solving the problems of insufficient labor force in agricultural production.
Zhang Jihui’s team cooperated with Shanxi Agricultural University and related teams to modify and produce intelligent tracked vehicles.
Talking about entrepreneurial feelings, Zhang Feng (pseudonym), a retired soldier who joined in March 2020, mentioned a word — — A sense of sureness. "Many comrades will feel confused after leaving the army. Through entrepreneurship, we not only have a stable income, but also participate in the guidance and promotion of fruit planting technology, and popularize mechanical operation guidelines and scientific farming methods for farmers. " Zhang Feng said.
In the past two years, more and more farmers have tasted the sweetness and rushed to learn technology from Zhang Jihui’s team. In their communication with farmers, they also learned more about the actual needs in production. "It not only improves the quality of agricultural products, but also drives farmers to increase their income and achieve common prosperity. We deeply understand the value of entrepreneurship." Zhang Jihui said.
Science and technology service and centralized trusteeship add stamina to agricultural production
"Who knows if the drone has flown all over the orchard", "How can it still be dry after spraying the leaves with the drone" … … At first, the new technology was applied to fruit tree planting, but the acceptance of local farmers was not high, and no one even agreed that Zhang Jihui’s team would carry out experiments on their own land.
While operating the demonstration, Zhang Jihui patiently explained the "doorway" to farmers, and offered free services in the orchards of village cadres who were willing to take the lead. After a period of observation on the growth of fruit trees, farmers gradually saw changes.
"Everyone found that the use of drones really improved work efficiency, and the coverage rate of spraying fertilizers was also higher. The drone spraying agent also has the characteristics of atomizing spraying. As long as there are 6 to 8 large rice-sized drug spots on each apple tree leaf, it can play the role of sterilization and insecticide. " Zhang Jihui introduced that this model uses less medicine, saves water and protects soil. The most important thing is that both drones and intelligent tracked vehicles are intelligently operated, which can realize "seamless docking" of operations.
Zhang Jihui’s team demonstrated the use of intelligent tracked vehicles to farmers.
In addition, they also put an end to the use of chemical fertilizers on the trust land, insisting on the application of organic biological agents with higher cost and better prevention effect on pests and diseases. "We want everyone to realize that apples produced with better fertilizer and more advanced technology can sell at a better price." Zhang Jihui said.
Before trusteeship, most local farmers were "fighting alone", and the apples they planted lacked unified management, quality assurance and brand effect. "After the 1,000-mu apple orchard in the village cooperated with Anjun Company, the output per mu increased by 2,000 kilograms, and the finished fruit increased by more than 1,000 kilograms. It is estimated that the output of finished fruit will double on the original basis within three years. " Qiao Baoping, secretary of the Party branch of Wencheng Village, Guxian Township, Pu County, Linfen City, said.
Zhang Jinjun, director of the Agricultural Economic Administration Bureau of Puxian County, said that the technical service and trusteeship mode have solved the problem of "who cultivates the land", and the retired soldiers and mechanized production have effectively supplemented the shortage of labor and improved production efficiency; Centralized procurement of agricultural means of production will help reduce production costs and indirectly increase farmers’ income; Through the unified and standardized production under the guidance of professional technology, the quality and yield of apples will be improved and the income of farmers will be increased; Unified trademarks and unified sales also bring convenience to farmers.
On the wall of Zhang Jihui’s team office, the slogan "Trusteeship is a cause of conscience, worthy of farmers, worthy of consumers, and worthy of one’s conscience" is very eye-catching. Zhang Jihui mentioned that this year, it is planned to open a live broadcast room to promote local high-quality agricultural products to "fly" to the table of the people all over the country. (Reporter Kong Fanxin pictures are provided by respondents)