Dongshan county in SE China's Fujian builds workshops in rural areas for shared prosperity

"Check out the quality! The prawns will soon hit the market, and the first batch from the ponds can fetch up to 400,000 yuan ($56,166). That's a 50 percent increase in profits compared with previous years," said He Qingfu, a farmer from Chengying village in Xingchen town, Dongshan county, Zhangzhou city, southeast China's Fujian Province, as he displayed a basket full of prawns.

Just two years ago, this success seemed impossible.

He Gantian, Party chief and head of the villagers' committee in Chengying village, said traditional farming methods used to yield low profits. However, with the adoption of modern techniques, villagers are now earning 4,000 yuan per mu in rental income.

Photo shows a prawn-farming project at a workshop in Xingchen town, Dongshan county, Zhangzhou city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Dongshan County Committee)

In recent years, Xingchen town has built specialized workshops to boost rural prosperity. By supporting seedling cultivation and promoting partnerships between companies and farmers, the town has improved efficiency and raised incomes for everyone involved.

Last year, two villages in the town saw their collective incomes exceed 4 million yuan under the workshop project. More than 30 households engaged in aquaculture, and income per mu (1 mu is about 0.067 hectares) rose from 35,000 yuan to 150,000 yuan. At the same time, nearly 1,000 jobs were created in logistics, e-commerce, and other sectors.

Farmers sort abalones at a workshop in Dongshan county, Zhangzhou city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Dongshan County Committee)

Dongshan county plans to build 11 specialized workshops to boost prosperity in rural areas. Seven have already been put into use, covering 25 villages and providing jobs for more than 3,100 villagers.

"In the past, odd jobs paid little. Nowadays, with workshops established in the village, I can earn more than 3,000 yuan in additional income each month," said Pan Jinhuang, a villager from Donggu village in Xipu town, Dongshan county.

Workers work at a workshop in Dongshan county, Zhangzhou city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Dongshan County Committee).

The workshops have produced remarkable results across different villages in Dongshan.

Photo shows a workshop in Aojiao village, Chencheng town, Dongshan county, Zhangzhou city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Dongshan County Committee)

The workshop in Aojiao village, Chencheng town, is a joint project carried out by the Party committees of Dongshan Cultural Tourism Group, Aojiao village, and the Aojiao Marine Economic Industry Chain. Aojiao village provided the land free of charge, Dongshan Cultural Tourism Group invested in, built, and now operates the workshop, while the Party committee of the Aojiao Marine Economic Industry Chain coordinates partnerships with enterprises to supply products.

Dongshan Cultural Tourism Group invests nearly 800,000 yuan annually to maintain environmental sanitation in Aojiao village. The local seafood processing factory has expanded sales channels for aquatic products and driven up sales. The project has also created more employment opportunities for villagers.