College students master smart agriculture, showing their skills in tech-driven farming

Early in the morning, Wu Di, recipient of the 20th "Henan Youth May Fourth Medal," was busy working at the Lohas Nature Park in Shizhangzhuang Village, Jiangzuo Town, Luoyang.

As general manager of the Lohas Nature Park chain farms, Wu Di manages 500 mu of orchards with his mobile phone every day. He is very proud of his identity as a "new-type farmer": "The Internet and high technology - the introduction of these innovative factors has made traditional agricultural management efficient and orderly."

Wu Di said he first had the idea of starting a business while in university. After graduating in 2009, he decided to return to his hometown of Luoyang to look for opportunities. "Once, I ate a particularly sweet watermelon. I heard that this kind of watermelon sells at a high price, has large sales volume, and is in short supply. Seeing that quality agricultural products had such a good market, I decided to give it a try." After finding the right direction, Wu Di and his classmate Zhang Yang set out on the entrepreneurial path with 100,000 yuan in savings.

In the first two years, due to a lack of technology and experience, problems kept arising in both the cultivation and sales of watermelons. Wu Di not only lost all his "assets" but also went 800,000 yuan into debt. "Under the circumstances at the time, if I gave up the business, I would have to work to slowly pay off the debt. After discussing it with Zhang Yang, we decided to stake everything on one final effort." After readjusting the division of labor, in 2012, high-quality watermelons from 40 greenhouses sold for nearly 2 million yuan, and Wu Di successfully made a comeback.

Having had a first taste of success, Wu Di did not stop there. In 2013, Wu Di expanded the park area to 500 mu and introduced high-quality yellow pear and pomegranate varieties, founded the "Lohas Nature Park chain farms," and combined online sales with offline experiences. At the same time, he used the "Smart Agriculture 4.0" system to carry out production management and data analysis through the Internet, ensuring standardized operating procedures.

"In the era of 'Internet + agriculture,' leading farmers out of poverty and toward prosperity through e-commerce is the responsibility of our post-80s generation," Wu Di said. Next, the farm will pair up with impoverished households for assistance, helping more people in difficulty shake off poverty and move toward a moderately prosperous life.