"Walnut Secretary" Han Yinxiang Turns Barren Slopes into a Green Treasure Mountain
Han Yinxiang (second from right) teaching walnut management techniques
"Walnuts are the 'money tree' that lifted our village out of poverty and onto the road to prosperity. The walnut industry in our village has developed so quickly and so well, all thanks to this 'Walnut Secretary' who has his heart set on serving the people." This year, the farmers of Baiyangping Village, Taohe Township, Xichuan County, Nanyang City, Henan Province, once again welcomed a bumper harvest of walnuts. Everyone was overjoyed and rushed to give their village secretary a "thumbs-up."
This "Walnut Secretary" is named Han Yinxiang, 54 years old this year. In his early years he worked as a factory worker and also went into business, and he is a capable man who endures hardship and has a good head for business. In 2010, after achieving success in business, Han Yinxiang returned to his hometown of Baiyangping Village, was elected as a county people's congress representative, and took up the post of Party branch secretary of Baiyangping Village. Han Yinxiang said, "Wealth for one person is not wealth; wealth for the whole village is true wealth." He could absolutely not live a comfortable life himself while continuing to watch his fellow villagers carry loads on their shoulders and backs, toiling away facing the yellow earth with their backs to the sky.
Escaping poverty and achieving prosperity is no simple matter. Where should he begin? After careful deliberation, he decided to start by developing the village's unused barren hills and slopes. Han Yinxiang led village and group cadres on inspections to other places, and ultimately chose to plant thin-shelled walnuts.
No sooner said than done. Under the guidance of technicians from the county forestry department, Han Yinxiang began trial planting on a small scale. After solving problems such as pests and diseases and mastering the cultivation techniques, the thin-shelled walnuts produced a bumper harvest, and the household incomes of the farmers who trial-planted walnuts rose steadily, like a sesame stalk shooting upward. Only then did he use the industrial development funds provided by the county credit union to develop the walnut industry, distributing free walnut saplings provided by the forestry department to every household, and hiring professional technicians to train the villagers in walnut planting and management techniques.
Once the villagers had grown good walnuts, it was even more important to ensure that good walnuts could find a good market. In order to let their hometown's walnuts leave the deep mountains and truly increase the villagers' income and prosperity, in 2012 Han Yinxiang took the lead in investing to establish the South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route Canal Head Farmers' Walnut Professional Cooperative, following the business model of "cooperative + base + farmers" and carrying out refined management of the industry. He provided technical guidance and production and marketing services to walnut growers, purchased walnuts at prices higher than the market, and the cooperative handled external sales, resolving the villagers' worries.
Today, under Han Yinxiang's leadership, Baiyangping Village has planted 700 mu of thin-shelled walnuts, built a walnut processing base integrating peeling, drying and sales, and every household has taken up a "green rice bowl." Han Yinxiang's working approach of "economizing the ecology and ecologizing the economy" has achieved a comprehensive victory. "Baiyangping Village's barren slopes have turned green and become a 'treasure mountain,' and walnuts have become the 'golden fruit' that lifts the people out of poverty and onto the road to prosperity. What is even more encouraging is that developing the walnut industry has not only fattened every household's wallet, but has also added a green scenic belt to the Danjiangkou Reservoir area, ensuring the water quality safety of the South-to-North Water Diversion." Han Yinxiang said with satisfaction.
Indeed, Baiyangping Village's development of the walnut industry is like building a "green bank." Grower Liu Xihai, who has experienced the tremendous transformation of the industry, said with deep emotion: "Baiyangping Village has finally shed the label of a poverty-stricken village. Relying on the walnut industry, we have 'income every year and blessings for every generation,' and we can also send a reservoir of clear water to Beijing and Tianjin!"
The walnut industry has already brought good economic, ecological and social benefits to Baiyangping Village, but Han Yinxiang is still not satisfied. Gazing at the stretches of walnut groves beside the village, he is full of confidence: "Our area has clear mountains and beautiful waters. In the future I want to pursue the path of integrating agriculture and tourism, so that the villagers can earn more money and live sweeter, more beautiful lives!"