Disabled farmer in the Yimeng region walks out a road to prosperity in edible fungi on two crutches

Zhuang Mingbao, 45 years old this year, is a farmer from Beishendun Village, Jiehu Subdistrict, Yinan County, Linyi City. He began working away from home at the age of 18. In 2011, while working in Dalian, he unfortunately developed osteonecrosis of the femoral head. After treatment, he could barely walk 20 to 30 steps at a time on two crutches. The illness did not defeat him; instead, it tempered his resolute will.

During his treatment, he began reading books on edible fungus production. In May 2014, with the help and guidance of village officials and experts from the county agriculture bureau, he rented an abandoned duck shed belonging to someone else to grow mushrooms. He drove an electric tricycle to deliver freshly picked mushrooms promptly to sales points in residential areas. Now he and his wife cultivate 4 greenhouses, with an annual net income of more than 40,000 yuan.

Although he himself is disabled, he is glad to help the poor and assist the disabled. He took the lead in establishing the Yinan County Mingbao Edible Fungus Planting Cooperative, wrote and printed "Edible Fungus Planting Techniques," and gave them free to disabled people and disadvantaged people who came to learn. He has successively brought more than 60 members from the surrounding area into edible fungus production, setting them on a path to prosperity together.

Zhuang Mingbao explains edible fungus planting techniques to fellow villagers on crutches.

Zhuang Mingbao is spraying water on the mushrooms.