Guizhou’s Tongzi County is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years, which has crippled this year’s crops. But villagers are still finding ways to harvest through the heat. More than 300 hectares of crops in Luo Qiao village of Liao Yuan town have been seriously damaged by drought. The corn can only be used to feed pigs. The price per kilogram of cabbage has increased more than four yuan, which was only one Yuan last year.
To cope with the scarce rainfall and continuously high temperatures, locals have begun to use a special sunshade that reduces water evaporation.
“In the past, we didn’t need to use this kind of sunshade, because there was enough rainfall. But the drought is so serious this year that the seeds won’t grow well if we don’t use the sunshade,” Hu Guangxiang, Vice Director of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau, said.
Zhao Jiuqiang, mayor of Liaoyuan town, said, “For the drought this year, villagers have lost a lot of confidence in replanting. We want to restore their confidence and increase their economic income by setting these examples of replanted fields. ”
The local government has invested about 700,000 Yuan, equal to over 114,000 US dollars, to purchase more pipes, seeds and sunshades. But with its meager water supply only able to support planting in 30 hectares of field, villagers know more is still needed.