Sheep breeding has helped villagers in one of the poorest counties in northwest China increase their income and improve their livelihood.
In Laozhuang Village, Dongxiang County of northwest China's Gansu Province, local government has been helping villagers shake off poverty through sheep breeding.
The village has 45 households previously scattered in mountain valleys. In 2015, to develop sheep breeding industry, the villagers were relocated to a ridge to live together.
Villager Ma Ibrahim has never been to school and is therefore illiterate. During the relocation, his family was the poorest one in the village.
To achieve poverty alleviation through industrial development, local authorities granted a 50,000-yuan (about 6,820 U.S. dollars) interest-free loan to each household in the village. The funding was intended for building sheep sheds, purchasing breeding sheep and developing breeding industry. However, Ma Ibrahim did not buy a single sheep.
"Our family was very poor back then. We had never seen so much money before. 50,000 yuan was such a thick stack, and I stashed it in my pocket. We hesitated to spend it. We truly didn't want to part with it," said Ma.
Ma Ibrahim is dealing with lumbar tuberculosis, while his wife suffers from heart disease. Their three children are still in school.
"The lamb from our county is the best. My children can only enjoy a good meal of lamb during the holidays. Since I received the money, I have been thinking about buying some clothes and some meat for them," said Ma.
With the money, Ma Ibrahim bought some clothes for his children and a pair of cotton shoes for his wife. He didn't buy anything for himself and didn't invest in a single sheep, as he was afraid that the animals might contract diseases and prevent him from repaying the 50,000-yuan loan.
In order to help villagers overcome this fear, local government has rolled out various subsidy measures to lighten their financial burden.
First, local officials like Meng Xianwei, a senior agronomist and village official, would provide the villagers with all kinds of information on sheep breeding, including crushing and fermenting grass to heating the sheep pen and preventing diseases.
For families like Ma's, a 60 percent subsidy is also offered when purchasing a breeding sheep.
For those unfamiliar with sheep raising, they can entrust their animals to breeding cooperatives for care and receive dividends based on the sheep's sales.
All sheep are insured against infectious diseases, with local veterinary technicians regularly visiting for examination and treatment.
If families wish to construct or expand their sheep pens, they can receive a subsidy of 180 yuan (about 24.55 U.S. dollars) per square meter.
For purchasing forage crushers, a subsidy of 25 to 30 percent of the price is available.
Families needing training in breeding technology can attend vocational schools for education.
These supportive policies have significantly boosted villagers' confidence in sheep breeding.
In 2015, Ma Ibrahim took his first step and bought two breeding sheep. They soon gave birth to lambs, which he sold for profit, allowing him to buy more sheep. Within a year, his herd had grown to over 30, and now he boasts nearly 80 sheep.
Although he had never been to school, Ma Ibrahim has memorized the uses of various medicines by studying the pictures on their packages. He has even learned how to give injections to treat minor ailments in his sheep.
"When Ma Ibrahim's sheep get sick, he can treat them himself. He can also help his neighbors' sheep. It is remarkable that he has grasped everything he needs to know," said Ma Weijie, a village official.
"In our village, people like Ma Ibrahim can easily expand their breeding scale as long as they have confidence. In 2024, the sheep stock in the entire county was between 3.2 to 3.5 million, with the per capita income from sheep farming reaching 3,500 to 3,800 yuan (about 477.42 to 518.35 U.S. dollars)," said Meng.
In 2023, local authorities established a modern breeding base for fine sheep breeds. The base also offers farmers feed formulas and guidance on how to feed sheep scientifically.
Ma Ibrahim's daughter, Ma Xiaolan, didn't go to school until she was 12 as they were living in the mountains and far away from the school. Now at 22, she is still in her second year of high school, while most of her peers have already graduated from college.
Ma Ibrahim is determined to ensure his daughter receives an education.
"I once read a powerful quote, 'Your hard work predicts your parents' happiness'. Although our family's economic foundation is relatively weak, now with the support of various national policies, plus the efforts of the three of us and the persistence of my parents, I believe we will live a better life in the near future," said Ma Xiaolan.
Villager in Gansu shakes off poverty through sheep breeding
