Chongqing - On April 11, after visiting Huaxi Village in Chongqing Shizhu Zhongyi Township—a case of rural poverty alleviation—Lokendra Prasad Lamsal, a Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) (CPNMC), remarked that China's poverty alleviation practices have made them realize that economic development is not merely reflected in towering skyscrapers but in efforts that uplift even rural areas.
Herb-based model inspires Nepal's rural development
Participants of the seminar for local party officials of the CPNMC visited Huaxi Village in Chongqing Shizhu to study China's rural revitalization practices. The mountainous terrain and shifting weather patterns left Lokendra Prasad Lamsal, a Central Committee member of the CPNMC, remarking that the village reminded him of rural Nepal.
On April 11, the seminar participants listened to a briefing on local poverty alleviation efforts and related developments in Huaxi Village. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Huaxi Village was once known as a poor and remote mountainous area with difficult living conditions, inadequate transportation, and infertile land. According to Wang Xiangsheng, Party Secretary of the village, it was through China’s poverty alleviation policies that the village began its transformation toward prosperity.
A key to Huaxi's success has been its tailored approach to agricultural development. Given its mountainous terrain and fragmented land plots, the village chose to cultivate small-scale, high-value crops. According to local officials, there are three main industries: traditional Chinese medicinal herbs including polygonatum and medicinal papaya, fruit farming notably crisp and yellow peaches, and beekeeping.
On April 11, the seminar participants visited the poverty alleviation exhibition hall in Zhongyi Township to learn about the course of poverty alleviation efforts. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Compared to staple crops, these products offer higher income potential. Chen Peng, a local, shared that by planting polygonatum, his household income rose from just over 20,000 yuan (2742.7 USD) to more than 100,000 yuan a year. Krishna Raj, another Central Committee member, commented that Huaxi Village's approach—focusing on value-added herbs cultivation despite land fragmentation—could provide valuable insights for villages in Nepal facing similar geographical challenges.
According to Fan, Huaxi has now built a full polygonatum industry chain, spanning seedling cultivation, processing, and sales. The village has also partnered with Yunnan Zhongfeng and other honeybee enterprises to establish a joint venture company, developing 22 specialty products such as polygonatum noodles and bottled honey, all branded under “Huaxi Village” to enhance product value and industry efficiency.
On April 11, the seminar participants exchanged views with residents who had been lifted out of absolute poverty in Zhongyi Township. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Introducing Chinese technologies to Nepal
Nepal is a predominantly agricultural country but faces many technological challenges.
Ram Dip Acharya, a member of the Central Committee, noted that while 70% of Nepal’s population engages in agriculture, the country still struggles to achieve food self-sufficiency. Another committee member, Lekhnath Neupane, added that key problems include fertilizer and seed shortages and outdated farming techniques.
Both officials expressed their hopes that Chinese agricultural technologies will be introduced to Nepal to help address these pressing challenges and deepen bilateral cooperation in agriculture.
On April 10, the tomatoes grown in the greenhouse at the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences drew the attention of the seminar participants. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
During the visit to the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the seminar participants were intrigued by the healthy growth of chili, rice, rapeseed, and greenhouse tomatoes. Researchers introduced advanced planting methods, year-round cultivation technologies, and environmental control systems for tomatoes.
Acharya believed that China's rice cultivation techniques could help Nepal tackle its food self-sufficiency issue. Neupane added that he looked forward to learning more about vegetable breeding techniques and bringing useful knowledge back to Nepal.
On April 10, at the AI-based aquaponics system facility of the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the seminar participants took photos to document the visit. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
At the academy's AI-based aquaponics system factory, the participants took out their phones to capture the automated feeding process. A robotic system dispenses fish feed in precise amounts using big data analysis. The waste generated by the fish—uneaten feed and excrement—is then processed and used to fertilize vegetables. Neupane remarked that this symbiotic system offered a potential solution to Nepal’s fertilizer shortage.
Agricultural cooperation between Chongqing and Nepal is already underway. In August 2024, the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Nepal's Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) jointly launched the Southern Agricultural Technology Park. The project has initiated four major programs: hybrid rice cultivation, greenhouse vegetable farming, dairy buffalo breeding, and efficient pond aquaculture.