Nanyang plants herbs to prevent poverty

Another 30,000 mu (2,000 hectares) of barren hills in Tongbai county of Nanyang, Henan province, have been made available for the planting of traditional Chinese herbs, after an investment agreement was signed between the county government and Fuangde Group.

Fuangde is a domestic project investment management company with businesses all around the country, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Tongbai is one of the key counties in Nanyang that falls under national poverty-relief measures. Considering the county's abundance of hills and slopes, the government decided to promote a forest economy by planting trees and herbs on available land.

Some 180,000 mu of Chinese medical herbs have been planted across the county, 10,000 mu of which have been grown on barren hills.

More than half of the farmers in the area receive their main income from profits made growing Chinese medical herbs, lifting over 10,000 local farmers out of poverty.

The Tongbai government has attached great importance to the guidance of local farmers in planting herbs. In addition to extra awards and allowances to help herb farmers, advanced training is also carried out from time to time, said an official.

As a result of the preferential policies nearly 20 herb processing enterprises have been set up in the county, attracting farmhouse tourism and helping to alleviate poverty in Tongbai.