A young woman, like a tenacious crop, is deeply rooted in the soil of the vast fields of northern Jiangsu Province (in East China). Why? She is leading her fellow villagers in the pursuit of common prosperity. For more than a decade, Fan Siyan, general manager of Dazhuang Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., in Pizhou, a city in Jiangsu, has remained committed to working in the fields.
Returning Home
Fan, who was born in 1990, faced a major life choice in 2012, after she graduated from Nanjing Agricultural University. Her dilemma? Accept a comfortable, decent-paying job in a bustling city or return to her hometown to work in the fields, where she was raised. After much consideration, she chose the latter. She always had a dream deeply rooted in her heart: To use her knowledge to transform her hometown, and to help her fellow villagers live better lives.
Shortly after she moved back, in 2012, Fan found out (through visits and research) many of the farmers suffered economic losses because they lacked technical skills. She quickly realized agriculture was not simply planting and harvesting; rather, it was a science, which required constant learning and exploration. Determined to help her fellow villagers improve their farming skills, she began studying agricultural techniques, and consulting experts, and she gradually accumulated rich practical experience.
The Platform
"To grow a business, one cannot rely solely on their own strength," Fan has said many times. She has always believed in the strength of cooperation. In 2016, she co-founded Dazhuang Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. with several like-minded partners. They developed a demonstration base, to promote a modern, industrialized vegetable plantation, which covered 90 mu (six hectares) of land. They worked tirelessly as they conducted research, developed vegetable seeds, bred seedlings and promoted agricultural technologies. They also traveled from farm to farm to teach villagers about new plant varieties and planting techniques. Under Fan's leadership, the company has expanded its seedling base from 90 mu to 570 mu (38 hectares).
Modern agricultural development relies on scientific support. Fan worked with research institutions to develop and introduce advanced fruit- and vegetable-seedling-cultivation technologies. Today, the company breeds more than 30 million seedlings annually, covering more than 20 vegetable and fruit varieties, including tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons and pumpkins. The seedlings are not only promoted locally, but also sold across the country
Field School
Fan always believed the villagers had to embrace modern agricultural thinking, methods and varieties before they could achieve true common prosperity. Based on her beliefs, she developed and implemented various training activities. She used fields, greenhouses and villagers' homes as the classrooms. She spared no effort in developing and providing new plant varieties and planting technologies to villagers, or in providing them with opportunities to learn and practice through Dazhuang Agricultural Farmer Field School. Spanning 330 mu (22 hectares), the school features multifunctional training classrooms and vegetable-production-practice centers. It is a venue for learning, practical operations and demonstrations of new varieties and technologies. Fan's efforts have helped farmers integrate theory and practice.
The school has helped villagers enhance their skills and, in turn, increase their incomes. The school conducts regular training sessions, with expert lectures, and it teaches advanced-planting techniques and management experiences. To date, the school has organized more than 60 training sessions, educated more than 8,000 farmers, helped cultivate 19 family farms, and facilitated more than 3,700 households in their farming efforts.
In 2022, Fan established a field women's home. The focus is on helping the women enhance their professional skills and entrepreneurial know-how. She organizes various training sessions, addressing marketing, planting techniques and family management. By the end of 2024, Fan had helped more than 200 women secure jobs, 19 women start family farms, and 41 women further their education. With her help, many rural women have embarked on entrepreneurial paths. Together, those women have become a vital force in rural revitalization.
Boosting Rural Revitalization
Hard work yields rewards. Fan's efforts have earned her widespread recognition. She has been named a Jiangsu Province March 8th Red-Banner Holder (in 2023).
Under Fan's leadership, Dazhuang Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. has made notable progress in promoting the transformation, upgrading and high-quality development of agriculture, while emphasizing brand building and marketing to enhance the popularity and reputation of agricultural products. Such initiatives have resulted in tangible benefits for the villagers, and the initiatives have helped inject new vitality into the area's rural revitalization.
Fan says she will continue leading villagers in working hard, forging ahead, and using practical actions to shoulder the responsibility and commitment of being a "new farmer." She believes, with a collective effort, rural areas will become even more beautiful and brilliant.
Photos from Interviewee and Gao He
(Women of China English Monthly August 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
