In 2013, his invention was used for desertification control in the Qaidam Desert in Qinghai, and the Badain Jaran and Tengger deserts in Inner Mongolia.

Two years later, it was identified as a leading project in desertification combat engineering nationwide by experts from the Chinese Academy of Forestry and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Lou is now a member of the Inner Mongolia Sand and Grass Industry Association, as well as the Sand Industry Association in Gansu province.

He attends national and international conferences on desertification control, including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in September. His invention has four national patents.

"I have witnessed the changes in desertification in China, from a significant increase caused by ecological damage years ago to a gradual decrease due to government initiatives to convert the land for forestry and pasture," Lou said.

"Devastating droughts destroy harvests, make soil infertile and allow deserts to increase in size. With my efforts, I hope desert plants will grow in the wild again to fertilize the earth."

Over the years, he has spent a lot of his own money and received financial and emotional support from friends and family, "but this great adventure still needs more support from the nation, either from the government or local communities", he added.