Cooperative efforts boost incomes, jobs, tourism potential of countryside across nation

Recently, Zhao Changkun and his wife went on a 30-minute drive to their farm at Tayuanzhuang Tongfu Rural Revitalization Park, where they grow seasonal vegetables on a patch of about 30 square meters rented in the tourism compound.

Located in Tayuanzhuang village, Zhengding county in Shijiazhuang of North China's Hebei province, the compound has a play area for children, a small zoo with a dozen animals, a rain collection base for farmers, a meeting center and a field for picking fruits and vegetables, apart from small land parcels that are rented out to urban dwellers who want to experience the joys of agriculture.

As soon as they arrived, the couple pulled out a shovel and several bags to tidy up the plot and pick some purple perilla leaves and leeks that had ripened.

"We come here every other week and spend a morning tending to the plot, after which we take out ripe vegetables to cook at home," Zhao said.

His family simply loves the green vegetables that he has planted, he added.

Developed by Tongfu Group — a Shijiazhuang-based company with businesses focused on agriculture-related industries — the 100-hectare park has become a milestone on the village's path to rural revitalization since it began operations about two years ago.

The park received more than 2 million tourists last year, with sales revenue reaching 170 million yuan ($23 million), according to the group.

This has facilitated the village's rural revitalization, with residents more happy and earning better incomes than before.

Located about 300 kilometers southwest of Beijing, Tayuanzhuang began its transformation journey in 2008 when its leaders successfully invited companies to develop rural land, aiming to provide better living conditions for villagers, said Zhang Jinxia, a member of the village committee that provides services for villagers.

The cooperation between the village and enterprises has resulted in several companies, including Tongfu Group, investing in the village and developing its industries, mainly in rural tourism.

"One of the attractions is that the village is near the downtown area of Zhengding county and not far from Shijiazhuang. It also sits near the Hutuo River, a local waterway surrounded by beautiful scenery," she said.

According to Zhang, the cooperation has helped the village own shares in enterprises in return for providing land and some fixed assets, earning it a collective annual income of more than 10 million yuan.

The village's over 2,000 residents benefit greatly from the fruitful development, Zhang said.

"Almost all living expenses are covered for villagers, including heating fees in winter and property management fees," she said. Every villager also receives dividends at the end of each year, she added.