Second-generation farmers take over and step up, new farmers take the stage as protagonists

“Majestic peaks are green to the eye, and tea fragrance overflows everywhere.” Walking into the tea planting base in Tangchi Town, Lujiang County, Anhui Province, rows of neat tea seedlings are verdant and ready to drip. What Zhao Chen must do every day is take a walk around the tea base and join the tea farmers in pruning and weeding the tea garden.

Zhao Chen has fair skin and wears crisp, neat clothes, but he cannot hide the childishness all over his face. “I am a fake ‘post-90s’ generation; I was born in 1989.” Zhao Chen said with a smile. After graduating from university, he returned from the city to the countryside, took over the business from his father, and became the new head of Anhui Baiyun Chunhao Tea Company.

⟦NL> “In these four or five years, I have treated the more than 5,000 mu of transferred land as a demonstration base, so that tea farmers can see that tea grown with these varieties and methods can open up the market.” Zhao Chen said, “Promoting new varieties and connecting with the market are all problems I lead the tea farmers to solve together.” Through his efforts, “Baiyun Chunhao” tea is quite favored by consumers.

Zhu Shusheng, 34 years old this year, also chose to return to his hometown after graduating from university. He is the “top leader” of Lujiang County Qingshuihe Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd., and is currently studying for a master's degree at Anhui Agricultural University. His wife was his university classmate. The couple not only busy themselves with planting, but also guide more than a thousand local farmers to grow grapes together. “Next, we want to build the planting base into a sightseeing and picking garden, then engage in deep processing to brew grape wine, and gradually build farmhouses and a winery.” Zhu Shusheng is full of confidence in future development.

In Lujiang, there are more and more “post-80s” and “post-90s” “second-generation farmers” like Zhao Chen and Zhu Shusheng. They come from rural areas, and they have deep feelings for agriculture, rural areas, and farmers. When facing career choices or life plans, they often turn their eyes to the countryside.

It is understood that this group of new farmers in Lujiang County has three major characteristics: First, they are often the descendants of family farms, specialized large households, or leaders of professional cooperatives, and under the guidance of their elders they become familiar with farming and learn agricultural management, then step to the forefront; second, they are often farmers' children who have returned after completing their studies or grown up locally, applying their knowledge and skills in the fields and increasingly emerging in the countryside; third, they often have internet thinking and use their learning and courage to add modern color to traditional agriculture.

After graduating from Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Song Zhen returned to Lujiang and established “E-Lujiang Network.” “E-commerce can help farmers sell agricultural products and let farmers earn more money. The countryside is a vast world, and we can accomplish a great deal here.” Although there is no profit yet, Song Zhen is still full of confidence when talking about e-commerce.

In Lujiang, these “second-generation farmers” who have returned to the countryside over the years are playing an increasingly large role. Some planting bases, because of the participation of “second-generation farmers,” show new advantages in introducing new varieties and large-scale management; some rural areas, because “second-generation farmers” bring new technologies back to the village, see land efficiency grow rapidly; some traditional products, because “second-generation farmers” introduce the internet, see their value multiply. As new farmers with new knowledge and new vision, “second-generation farmers” are playing an increasingly important role on the vast land.

For the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries to develop in an integrated way, agriculture must “connect two and link three,” which requires certain conditions. The first problem to solve is who will shoulder the important task of “connecting two and linking three” and who will be the new subject driving the development of the “sixth industry.” This new agricultural subject can only be new farmers with strong management ability and sensitivity to the market. New farmers devote themselves wholeheartedly to the land and realize the specialization and professionalization of agricultural production; new farmers are interested in science and technology and have the motivation to actively seek new technologies; new farmers have the will and ability to develop agricultural industrialization and lead farmers into the market.

A group of “second-generation farmers” emerging in Lujiang, Anhui, are new farmers on that land, “post-80s” and “post-90s” people carrying youthful dreams. They bravely set out on the road of innovation and entrepreneurship, walk into fertile soil, and join the ranks of “new farmers.”