One-handed farmer escapes from poverty by raising chickens

Gong Liqin performs a health inspection on one of his chickens. (Chinanews.com/Wang Yizhao)

Located in the vicinity of the Dashi Mountains in northern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Rong’an county, Liuzhou city, is situated in a rocky, desertified swath of land that also runs through Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. The administrative area suffered from poverty in the past but officially emerged from it on May 9, 2020. Several years ago, the local government began encouraging the county’s impoverished residents to farm a special type of high-quality chicken with flavorful meat that has become popular in recent years known as Dapo chicken in the rich mountain forests that run through the area so that they can increase their incomes by taking advantage of the county’s strengths. An impoverished Rong’an native with disabilities named Gong Liqin was one of the people who began raising the animals. He escaped from poverty, currently earns up to 80,000 yuan (US$12,296) a year, and lives a much different life than he did before he got involved with the undertaking.

Gong’s family has engaged in agricultural pursuits in Rong’an’s Dapo township for generations. The farmer lost his right arm below the elbow in a work-related accident in 2010, however, so he decided to open a clothing store. It eventually failed and he lost money, which led to him trying livestock farming, but the undertaking was not successful either. Gong was in his 40s by this time and was single, but luckily his older brother offered to help him.

Gong feeds chicks at his hatchery. (Chinanews.com/Wang Yizhao)

In 2015, Gong decided to raise Dapo chickens when he became aware of the government’s campaign to encourage Rong’an residents to farm them, and his brother loaned him 6,000 yuan (US$922) to help him get started. He purchased 400 baby chicks and raised them in a forest in his village, which made it possible for him to emerge from poverty and earn 40,000 yuan (US$6,148) of profit in 2016.

Poultry prices dropped in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the price of corn and other fodder rose, but Gong remained committed to his endeavors.

“I kept 7,600 chickens in 2020 and sold about 3,500 of them for around 160,000 yuan (US$24,592),” the farmer mentioned recently.“I made a little more than 20,000 yuan (US$3,074) of profit.”

Gong experienced other difficulties as well. Wind and rain caused some of his chickens to catch colds, and unsanitary standing water led to them contracting gastrointestinal infections from time to time. The poulterer eventually sought help from some of Rong’an’s agricultural specialists and built weather proof chicken coops and potable water facilities in order to address the problems. He also received microloans, 21,500 yuan (US$3,305) of funding, and other assistance as part of a comprehensive support package that the local government made available to him over the past five years.

Gong was more confident about farming Dapo chickens at this point and eventually established a hatchery with some of his friends in order to supply other farmers with two-month-old chicks.

“Raising chickens has made it possible for me to live a better life,” Gong stated. “I don’t have to worry about my living expenses anymore. I make an average of 40,000 yuan (US$6,148) of profit from my hatchery. If things go well, I will make about 80,000 yuan (US$12,296) per year in total, including what I earn from my main chicken farm.”

Gong works long hours and has experienced many hardships along the way but is very resilient. The combination of his painstaking efforts and the assistance that he has received from the government made it possible for his inventory to grow to 7,600 birds by 2020. The farmer has transformed into a prosperous business leader who helps other people increase their incomes in his village and has become well-known in his area.

Gong drives his motorized cargo tricycle to his chicken farm. (Chinanews.com/Wang Yizhao)

“Idon’t need to ask my brother for money every day anymore,” Gong said with a smile. “I want to make a good living and be able to improve my home, make it look nicer, live a more comfortable life, and do other things that I want to do.”

More than 600,000 Dapo chickens were sold in live poultry markets and supermarkets in provinces like Guizhou, Hunan, and Guangdong and cities such as Beijing and Shanghai in addition to the Guangxi Zhuang area in 2019, which resulted in an average of 15,000 yuan (US$2,306) of extra income for every Rong’an household that raised them. Many of the county’s residents have been able to escape from poverty and become more prosperous by participating in the industry.