From NPR via China Daily (link):
The village of Dalaochi is the only settlement along a stretch of road in mountainous Northwest Gansu province. The village’s mud-brick buildings seem to be a continuation of the khaki-colored earth on which they’re built.
Farmer Wei Zijian squats at the entrance to the village, sipping from a jar of green tea. The reason he’s not out planting wheat, corn and potatoes is simple.
“They won’t grow,” he says. “There hasn’t been enough rain this year.” In fact, there hasn’t been enough rain here for 10 years.
Life in poverty-stricken Dalaochi exemplifies how far some rural areas lag behind China’s cities. It also illustrates the tremendous challenges the Chinese government faces in improving life for Chinese farmers.
See also World Bank’s “Fighting Poverty: Findings and Lessons from China’s Success” (link); – China Daily’s “Wiping out poverty galvanizes China” (link); and “Chinese Village Provides Model for Prosperity” from NPR (link).
