'Tomato Party chief' dedicated to transforming village into prosperous community

Baiyunshan village is a remarkable example of rural vitalization in Lankao county, Kaifeng city in Central China's Henan province, where Chen Baochao, Party chief of the village committee, has been playing a pivotal role.

Chen Baochao, Party chief of Baiyunshan village committee, displays the tomatoes he planted. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

For years, the dream of all-round rural vitalization has been a beacon of hope for every farmer, and Chen has made it his mission to turn this dream into reality.

Faced with the task of finding industries that could lift the village out of poverty, Chen set his sights on cultivating tomatoes in greenhouse facilities.

Introducing high-quality alkali-resistant strawberry tomatoes, Chen spearheaded the intelligent transformation and automated management of tomato greenhouses in the village. His forward-thinking approach not only increased tomato yields but also reduced instances of pests and diseases.

The thin-skinned and juicy tomatoes cultivated by Chen and his fellow villagers attracted clients from across the country to the village, boosting their income and local development.

Nicknamed "tomato Party chief" by his peers, Chen, who was elected as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) last year, brought tomatoes from the village to the first session of the 14th NPC to seek advice from agricultural experts and entrepreneurs on how to further develop the agro-business in his hometown.

Thanks to his dedication, tomato sales in Baiyunshan village have steadily risen, with a third more farmers now engaged in tomato cultivation.

Chen Baochao garners opinions and suggestions from fellow villagers. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

With fuller pockets and heightened aspirations for a better life, Chen's fellow villagers embarked on a comprehensive beautification project, installing more than 200 streetlights for easier nighttime travel, paving all village roads and upgrading toilets while laying sewage pipelines.

Thanks to their collective efforts, the village has seen its living environment greatly improved.

As an NPC deputy, Chen has always connected his role with the vast expanse of rural land. To better understand the thoughts and needs of his fellow villagers, Chen has traversed almost every corner of Lankao county.

During his fieldwork and visits, Chen identified disparities in urban and rural elderly care facilities, noting the lack of rural facilities and the economic pressures faced by elderly individuals in need of care should be addressed.

He also highlighted "meal difficulties" among elderly rural residents, citing the example of Baiyunshan village, where a significant portion of the population struggles with cooking due to age-related limitations and the absence of family members.

To address these issues, Chen submitted the suggestion to this year's NPC session regarding the comprehensive development of rural elderly care services.

His recommendations include enhancing policy support for rural elderly care, encouraging innovative models and boosting market vitality in rural elderly care services to ensure that every elderly individual in rural areas has access to quality care and support.

Chen Baochao attends the second session of the 14th National People's Congress in March 2024. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Xu Hang contributed to this story.

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