Qiao Yihui, 43, lives in Qinjiakan village situated in Zundao town of Mianzhu city in Sichuan, along with seven family members. The village, devastated by the 12 May Wenchuan earthquake, is one of the sites where Oxfam launched a programme to help villagers restore their livelihoods.
Qiao joined Oxfam’s organic vegetable farming programme and training in organic farming. Along with other families in the programme, she and other villagers reclaimed wasteland and planted organic vegetables such as peppers and Chinese cabbages in seven greenhouses. With Oxfam’s help, including management training, the villagers also established a cooperative with its own management group. Yin Xiande, Qiao’s husband, is a member of the cooperative management group, responsible for farming techniques. He said, “We established the cooperative to improve everyone’s life in a fair way. We resolve all issues about the cooperative through meetings.”
The villagers estimate that the peppers from each greenhouse will bring an income of approximately RMB 8,800 when the harvest is due in May. The profits will be shared among them.
Oxfam organized organic vegetable framing programme and training in organic farming for the villiagers.