Ganzhuang Overseas Chinese Farm in Yuanjiang County, Yuxi

Ganzhuang Overseas Chinese Farm, Yuanjiang County, Yuxi City (Yuanjiang Ganba Community)

History and Background

Ganzhuang Overseas Chinese Farm(玉溪市元江县甘庄华侨农场), located in Yuanjiang County, Yuxi City, was established in August 1958. Initially founded to resettle Indonesian Chinese, the farm later accommodated 4,138 returned overseas Chinese, including nearly 2,000 Vietnamese Chinese in the late 1970s. The farm primarily serves as an agricultural enterprise focused on resettling overseas Chinese. In 1988, the management of the farm was transferred to the Yuanjiang County People’s Government. Covering an area of 110.5 square kilometers, the farm comprises three agricultural divisions and a sugar factory. The total population is 7,905, including 1,059 returned overseas Chinese and 1,491 family members. The main industries are sugarcane, mango, and vegetable cultivation.

Community Development

Yuanjiang Ganba Community(元江干坝社区), part of Ganzhuang Subdistrict, was formerly the Ganba Division of Ganzhuang Overseas Chinese Farm and is one of Yuanjiang County’s notable overseas Chinese settlements. Established in the late 1970s to resettle Vietnamese Chinese, the community was integrated into local administration in 2009 according to national and provincial overseas Chinese farm reform requirements. The community consists of nine village groups with a total population of 1,995 people across 683 households, including four groups specifically for Vietnamese Chinese with 311 households and 683 people. With an average annual temperature of 23°C and no frost, the community leverages its climatic advantages for agricultural development.

The community party committee adheres to the principle of “integrating and leading farmers” for development, capitalizing on its strategic location and hot zone resources. By strengthening mechanisms for linking interests, the community ensures residents participate in and benefit from the industrial, financial, and supply chains of the hot zone industries. The community’s collective economic income grew from 238,000 yuan in 2022 to 2.176 million yuan in 2023, marking significant progress.

Economic Strategies and Achievements

1. Land Resource Integration By integrating land resources, the community has addressed leftover issues from farm reform. A village-level agricultural service company was established, using a “village-run company+” model to effectively utilize resources. Through land consolidation projects, the company centralized the transfer of 4,700 acres of land, conducting leveling, irrigation, and road infrastructure projects. Utilizing modern agricultural machinery, the land is used for crop rotation of rice, tobacco, and vegetables, increasing agricultural productivity with an expected annual income of over 1.4 million yuan. Additionally, the company managed photovoltaic development projects, using barren slopes for concentrated land provision and infrastructure construction, expecting an annual income of over 200,000 yuan. Water price reform projects were also implemented, advancing smart water conservancy construction in the Ganba area, with an anticipated annual net income of 1.0926 million yuan from water supply and a yearly water savings of 1.5 million cubic meters.

2. Diversified Services for Residents The community seized the opportunity presented by Yuanjiang County’s cigar “planting, storage, processing, and sales” project. Since 2022, 30 cigar drying houses have been built through land shareholding, generating an annual income of 60,000 yuan. A “Red Labor” project was also implemented, thoroughly surveying and training the local workforce. By connecting with land consolidation, photovoltaic development, land transfer projects, and enterprise labor demands, over 400 community members were employed by enterprises in 2023. Additionally, five welfare policies were established, including scholarships, medical assistance for major illnesses, disability subsidies, elderly allowances, and military enlistment incentives, benefiting the community. Financial aid was provided to eight underprivileged students and party members, totaling 3,000 yuan.

3. Project Implementation Leveraging the hot zone’s unique advantages, the community has successfully applied for the 2023 provincial new rural collective economy pilot project—the Ganzhuang Overseas Chinese Mango Industry Development Service Center. This initiative addresses safety hazards and disorganized trading locations, further extending and strengthening the mango industry chain. It promotes the integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, transitioning from isolated efforts to mutual benefits. With a focus on base construction, standardized planting, and centralized sales, the community guides mango farmers, dealers, and buyers to adhere to mature harvesting standards, maintaining the Yuanjiang mango brand and promoting healthy development of other fruit and vegetable industries.

Conclusion

Ganba Community has made significant strides by deeply implementing Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, focusing on fostering a strong sense of community among the Chinese nation. By prioritizing the development of the village collective economy, the community effectively links poverty alleviation with rural revitalization, builds a harmonious and stable society, and advances ethnic unity. Through various measures, the community has boosted income and prosperity for returned overseas Chinese and all ethnic groups, solidifying the foundation for ethnic unity and progress.