"Sunshine and sweat have finally yielded a sweet harvest — this year we have apples to enjoy," wrote Xie Daojiao, chairman of an agricultural company in Longli county, Guizhou province, while sharing photos of apple-laden trees on his WeChat moments.

Three years have passed since Xie's company leased some 73 hectares of land in two mountainous areas in Wantanhe town, where they planted local specialty fruit trees, including apple, honey plum and yellow peach saplings.

In 2022, an ecological small watershed management project was launched in the county and as part of the measures to control soil erosion. Xie's company, Longli Shengqi Agricultural Technology Co, signed a 20-year land lease agreement with the local village.

"The village provided land on barren hills for our company to plant fruit trees. After the trees bear fruit, we distribute dividends to the village on a gradually increasing scale, while also employing villagers to manage the orchards," Xie said.

By cultivating economic fruit forests, Xie's company has transformed barren hills into valuable assets, achieving both economic value and ecological benefits. "The roots of the fruit trees enhance soil resistance to erosion and reduce the risk of soil and water loss. On the other hand, our company generates revenue, and the local village receives dividends from the trees. It's a win-win situation," Xie said.

However, planting trees in the mountains is no easy task, as the thin soil layers on slopes and Guizhou's heavy rainfall present challenges.

"Without proper management, the soil's low organic content can lead to root rot in the saplings," Xie said. "Therefore, we dedicated three years and took on the financial risk ourselves to let the roots of the saplings develop and absorb nutrients, which helps ensure the fruits are large, tasty and produced with a high yield.

"As an agricultural professional, transforming seedlings into bountiful harvests is what brings a sense of pride in agriculture," he added.

Xie's family has been engaged in agriculture for generations. In 2015, he first visited Wantanhe town to sell agricultural supplies. Impressed by the region's excellent ecological environment, with a river flowing alongside the farmland and an improved local transportation network, he decided to establish an agricultural company to cultivate vegetables there.

Over the past decade, Xie has witnessed dramatic changes in local water resource management, especially with the implementation of the ecological small watershed management project.

"The river channels were regulated and drainage facilities improved, the farmland on both sides is basically no longer flooded during the rainy season, and the water quality has also improved significantly," he said.

Irrigating farmland has become as simple as accessing tap water. "The water resources department channels water from nearby reservoirs to a storage pool on the hill. Irrigation pipes are laid across the fields, and with a simple card swipe, irrigation begins," he said.

"Our vegetable base now operates almost entirely on automated water and fertilizer systems. A mobile app allows us to control all water and fertilizer applications, as well as monitor soil moisture, temperature and nutrient levels. This approach not only controls production costs and reduces soil salinity but also conserves water, creating a virtuous cycle," Xie said.