Karma Tsering, a skilled grain grower in Gaxi Village, Tsechen Town, Gyangze County, Xigaze City of 

China's Xizang: Good seeds planted in high-standard farmland bring stable yields and steady income growth

By the Nyangchu River in September, the qingke (highland barley) is ripe.

In the fields of Gaxi Village, Tsechen Town, Gyangze County, Xigaze City, golden ears of qingke hang low. When the wind blows, waves of gold roll from the edges of the fields to the foot of the mountains.

Karma Tsering, 47, is a skilled grain grower well known in Gaxi Village, with 38 mu of fertile farmland. He drives a tractor while his family follows behind, bending down to gather the cut qingke into armfuls, tying them tightly with straw ropes, and setting them upright in A-shaped shocks to dry in the field.

"The ears are heavier this year than in previous years." Karma Tsering straightened up, picked an ear from a freshly tied qingke shock, rubbed it in his palm, blew away the chaff, put the plump grains into his mouth and chewed, then nodded with satisfaction.

"Decades ago, at this time of year, the whole family, old and young, would be bending over in the fields cutting the qingke," Karma Tsering said, wiping sweat from his brow and gesturing. In the past, he farmed with his father. Using the traditional two-ox plough, they could barely plough a few mu a day. Harvesting relied entirely on sickles, and the whole family had to work in the fields for more than a month.

The change began when excavators and bulldozers arrived in Gaxi Village. High-standard farmland construction merged small plots into large fields, turning fragmented fields into consolidated ones. Field roads were extended to the edges of the fields, the formerly winding field ridges were leveled, and irrigation canals were rebuilt. At present, more than 800 mu in Gaxi Village have been upgraded to high-standard farmland.

"Now one person can do in a day the irrigation work that used to take the whole family three or four days," Karma Tsering said. The most obvious change, he said, is that farm machinery, large and small, can finally be driven into the fields. In the past, the plots were small and there were many ridges; when a small four-wheel tractor entered, it could easily run onto a neighbor's field, and he worried the neighbor might object. Now the fields are large, and farm machinery of all sizes can be driven in and used.

But what truly made him feel that "farming is different from before" was the seeds.

Karma Tsering now plants improved qingke varieties such as "Ximala 22" and "Zangqing 2000". "Ximala 22" was bred by the Xigaze Municipal Institute of Agricultural Sciences. It has a growth period of 134 days and strong lodging resistance, and is suitable for planting in river valley areas below 4,100 meters above sea level.

"The old varieties planted before had soft stalks and would fall over in large patches when the wind blew." Karma Tsering walked to a neatly stacked qingke shock, pulled out a stalk and looked at it. "Look at this stalk—it's stiff and upright, and the ears are dense. Even after being cut and left for several days, the grains don't drop off." He counted on his fingers. "After switching to improved seeds, the yield per mu is much higher than before, and the grains are much fuller."

The changes brought by science and technology are not limited to the seeds. Karma Tsering keeps the number of a technician at the township comprehensive agricultural and animal husbandry service center in his phone. Whenever he is unsure about when to plant, fertilize or control pests, he takes a photo, sends it to the technician, and quickly gets a reply. In the past, farming relied entirely on old experience. Now science and technology commissioners and agricultural and animal husbandry technicians come to the fields to teach them hands-on, and fertilizing and spraying are done with precision.

Toward evening, Karma Tsering turned off the tractor and, with his family, added the last few bundles of qingketo the shocks. He was already confident about this year's harvest: with improved seeds and high-standard farmland, both yields and income would be stable. "This year, income from farming and animal husbandry should reach about 50,000 yuan. In addition, working away from home can bring in more than 30,000 yuan. In the past, the whole family was tied down by the land; now we still farm the land, but we can free up time to do other things."

The setting sun gilded the fields of Gaxi Village with warm gold, and rows of qingke shocks in the fields cast long shadows. Karma Tsering stood at the edge of the field, patted the bits of straw off his hands, and said in a calm but firm voice, "The land is still the same land, but the way of farming is different!"

Reporter: Tashi Dundrup, Zhang Yuxin

Translator: Ni Weijing

First Review: Zhi Xinghua

Second Review: Drakpa Wangchen

Third Review: Hu Rongguo