A new "revolution" is underway at Xiaogang Village, the cradle
of China's rural reform in eastern
Anhui Province.
In contrast to the division of the village's farmland among
individual households some 30 years ago, the farmland will be
pooled again to create a more efficient economy.
After nearly two months of deliberation and talks, an
overwhelming majority of the 108 families at Xiaogang have agreed
with the village committee's plan to establish a new type of
cooperative.
Under the scheme, the 93 hectares of farmland that had been
allocated to the village will be leased to an animal and poultry
breeding company based in Shanghai at 7,500 yuan (about US$940) per
hectare. The company will build a pig-breeding base on the land,
and villagers will obtain dividends from the business. Some of the
villagers may also get a job at the company for a monthly salary of
600 yuan (about US$75).
Supporters of the plan believe that rather than being a
throwback to a planned economy, it will be a development of the
contract system initiated 28 years ago.
On one night in Nov. 1978, 18 villagers at Xiaogang risked their
lives to sign a secret agreement which divided the then People's
Commune-owned farmlands into pieces for each family to
cultivate.
The practice was supported by Deng Xiaoping, chief architect of
China's reform and opening to the outside world, and recognized by
the Chinese government. Xiaogang has since been seen as the
pace-setter of the nation's rural reform.
Allocating farmland to each household fired the locals'
enthusiasm for agriculture production, which had been contained in
the outmoded planned economy. The ensuing 1980s became a primary
period for development in China's rural areas, which once
outperformed their urban peers.
However, since 1990, rural areas have gradually lost their
lustre, along with flows of large amounts of resources, including
labor force, land and funds, to the cities.
Zhang Deyuan, an expert on rural issues from Anhui Province,
said, "The land division and contract system did help release
production forces, yet farming individually will not grant the
farmers a prosperous life."
Independent operation does not allow rural farmers to become
active players in a market-oriented economy, said He Kaiyin,
another expert on rural problems from Anhui. Like Xiaogang, many
villages across China have managed to make ends meet but are still
incapable of getting wealthy.
He said, "The new-countryside scheme China has adopted for the
2006-2010 period firstly targets increases in farmer's income. To
attain the goal under the market economy, farmers should combine
forces."
Yan Junchang, one of the 18 villagers who signed the landmark
secret agreement on land division back in 1978, has agreed to lease
his farmland to the animal and poultry breeding company.
"The move, like the former land contract system, aims to furrow
a new path towards a wealthier life," Yan said.
According to He Kaiyin, the land lease is a kind of sub-contract
practice which still retains farmers' rights to their land.
Yan Deyou, head of the village committee of Xiaogang, said,
"After the breeding company's lease term expires, the land will be
returned to the villagers."
Nevertheless, there are still some locals who do not approve of
the land-leasing scheme.
Duan Yongxia, the 58-year-old wife of Yan Hongchang, who was
also among the 18 pioneers of 1978, explained, "If the breeding
company fails, how will farming be resumed on the land after the
irrigation system had been destroyed for its business?"
Shen Hao, the party leader of the village, however, was
confident about the company's future.
He predicted that the village, with a total population of 476,
will realize a per-capita income of 6,000 yuan (some US$740) this
year, as against the year-earlier level of 4,000 yuan (US$493).
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the per-capita income
of farmers in China stood at 3,255 yuan (about US$400) last
year.
(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2006)