Former civil servant guards old varieties of crops in SW Guizhou

LIPING, Sept. 23, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Yang Zhengxi, 52, hailing from Shangzhong Town of Liping County, is the first college graduate in his village. Yang once served as a grassroots civil servant for years after graduation.

In 2012, Yang resigned his job and has been determined to focus on the searching and protection for old varieties of crops such as rice, beans, vegetables, etc. In the past 12 years, he visited many habitats of Dong ethnic group, and built two seed museums to preserve, plant and protect the seeds he found in these areas.

He is also dedicated to promoting the planting of these old varieties in about 100 villages in Liping County. He built a cooperative and has guided farmers to increase their income relying on organic agriculture.