Suihua Vegetable Office Launches Vegetable Science and Technology Outreach Service in Rural Areas

“Some of the peppers my family planted this year have stems that turned blackish-gray, and after a while they collapsed. What disease is this?” On December 23, in the meeting room of Xinnuo Melon and Vegetable Planting Cooperative in Xianghuang San Village, Yong'an Manchu Town, Beilin District, vegetable farmers from the village asked the agricultural experts who had come from the city.

On that day, the Suihua City Vegetable Office and the Beilin District Technology Extension Center together invited agricultural expert Zeng Xiangbin to Yong'an to teach scientific planting knowledge to the vegetable growers there. Combining the natural climate characteristics of Beilin District and the characteristics of the crops, Zeng Xiangbin explained the diagnosis and integrated control of open-field pepper diseases and insect pests, giving the farmers a lively lesson on vegetable planting. The farmers also asked questions eagerly, consulting the agricultural expert about the various problems they encountered in actual planting. Zeng Xiangbin, in plain and easy-to-understand language, like chatting about everyday matters, passed on planting knowledge to the farmers. The farmers also asked about the planting knowledge of eggplants, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, okra and many other vegetables they were interested in.

According to Wang Zhichao, director of the Suihua City Vegetable Office, this activity was part of a series of vegetable science and technology rural outreach activities, meant to let farmers make full use of the power of agricultural science and technology, improve the quality and yield of vegetables, obtain more orders in the “northern vegetables shipped south” program, and ultimately increase farmers' income so they can live better and happier lives.