Road to pave way for poverty relief in Gansu

For apple farmer Yang Xinzhuang, the dirt road that meandered past his cottage in the mountainous Yangzui village, Gansu province, had been a source of trouble for as long as he could remember.

During rainy days, the 56-year-old and his family could be stranded at home on the hillside for weeks as the road became muddy with rain and too dangerous for travel.

Worst of all, the poor connectivity has taken a toll on the price of apples, upon which his impoverished family of six depends heavily for a living.

"Few truck drivers would take the trouble to come to my orchard because of the road," he said. "Even if we sell the fruit at half the price."

But the situation is about to change for Yang and his fellow villagers as China Galaxy Securities, a State-owned business, is attempting to boost road connections in Yangzui, where apple trees provide nearly half of farmers' income.

The Beijing-based company plans to install two bridges there and harden up to 8 kilometers of dirt road within months, as part of efforts to increase farmers' earnings in a region known for its apple production.

The initial investment has reached more than 1 million yuan ($144,984) and, when finished, could benefit up to 200 families or 870 residents, according to Dong Xinzhen, who was appointed by the company to head the poverty relief efforts there.

"About 20 million yuan would be injected into the project by the end of this year to help with fruit transportation," he said.

Dong said efforts will also be made to develop local businesses, including setting up three fungus greenhouses, a cattle farm and a bee yard.

For decades, poor road conditions have been a major constraint on the region's development of the fruit industry and a major cause of poverty.

According to the village committee, the poverty rate there was more than 33 percent in 2013, when China ratcheted up targeted poverty relief efforts aimed at eradicating absolute poverty nationwide by the end of 2020.

The number has seen a considerable decline, dropping to less than 6 percent last year thanks to the sweeping poverty relief campaign, the committee said.

To shake off poverty, based on standards set the central government, one's income should surpass the poverty line, which is about 3,500 yuan in Gansu.

In the meantime, one should be able to afford sufficient food and clothes, as well as basic medical expenses, children's schooling and safe housing, before they could be declared free of poverty.

Fan Wushi, Party chief of the village, said he was confident the new road, which is expected to be completed within a month, will elevate apple prices to a normal level, even if rain hits during the harvest in October, and make it easier for children to go to school and for patients to visit the hospital.

"Our village is expected to shake off poverty as a whole before the year ends, a year earlier than the national deadline," he said.