Xinhua News Agency, Shenyang, November 12 - Title: Yixian County, Liaoning: "Three Transformations" Reform Unleashes New Horizons for Strong Villages and Prosperous Farmers
Xinhua Correspondent Ding Feibai
On the lunar third, sixth, and ninth, the village of Sangtuoyingzi in Gaotaizi Town, Yixian County, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, is bustling with activity. Inside the Liaoxi Livestock Trading Center in the village, there is a crowd of people, with nearly a thousand livestock available in various trading areas for merchants from near and far to choose from. "It's all thanks to the 'Three Changes' reform that has activated the village's funds, developed industries, and given the village hope," said Han Songlin, the village party secretary of Sangtuoyingzi.
To address issues such as limited income channels for farmers and weak village collective economy, Yixian County began implementing a "Three Transformation" reform across the entire region in August 2018—transforming resources into assets, funds into equity, and farmers into shareholders.
Han Songlin, a talented individual in the village, has been involved in coal trading and livestock dealing. The villagers unanimously requested that Han return to lead them in prosperity. "When I took over, the village not only had no collective economy but was also burdened with a debt of over 1.4 million yuan," says Han Songlin. "To achieve prosperity, we need to develop the village's industries."
Han Songlin saw potential in the live animal market, "Yixian has a geographical advantage and can serve as a livestock transit center." However, the issue of funding has been a major concern for him. "I contacted several friends who were interested in investing, but they all backed out later."
"'Funding to Equity' refers to converting scattered funds from various levels of government, funds from the village collective economic entities, farmers' own funds, and credit and social funds into shares to develop industries." said the Mayor of Gaotai Zi Town, Bian Ce. The initial investment of the Liaoxi Livestock Trading Center focused on the 2 million yuan industrial revitalization fund allocated by the county and the 2.3 million yuan special fund for poverty alleviation. Meanwhile, the Liaoxi Livestock Trading Mutual Cooperative was established, making beef cattle breeding and circulation the leading industry in the village.
Since 2018, Yixian County has integrated 190 million yuan in rural development funds, 66.56 million yuan in village collective funds, and 75.1 million yuan in farmers' own funds, investing them into the development of village collective economy.
" 'My land, I cultivate it myself,' this is the common thought among the villagers, many of whom are unaware of what it means to invest in shares or become a shareholder." Zhan Bao, the village chief of Caijiatun in Shaohuyingzi Town, told the reporter, "Transforming farmers into shareholders" is to guide, promote, and support farmers in voluntarily pooling their personal resources, including land, assets, capital, and labor, into operating entities to become equity investors and participate in dividends.
"In Yixian County, which faces drought every other year, there is no way forward without land circulation, without implementing modernized and large-scale agricultural production, and without transforming 'peasants into shareholders,' as Zhan Bao pointed out."
To boost the villagers' enthusiasm, village party members and cadres took the lead in investing and went door-to-door to explain the policies to the villagers: the project has passed the county's review and is for order production. Moreover, the land transferred can participate in dividends, allowing villagers to work from home. Finally, the Hongxing Millet Cooperative Society was established in the village, with 35 households investing 140,600 yuan in capital, equivalent to 351.5 acres of land.
Caijiatun village's registered impoverished households' member Li Suping calculated for the reporter, "Now my annual income is over 20,000 yuan, with over 5,000 yuan from land equity dividends, an additional 4,000 yuan from working at the cooperative, and over 10,000 yuan more from working at a peanut farm nearby. Life is truly getting better and better."
Yixian County has completed land rights confirmation on 1.03 million acres, transferred land use rights on 550,000 acres, and 28,000 households of farmers have become shareholders, accounting for 30% of the total number of rural households in the county. The建档立卡贫困户have essentially achieved full coverage as shareholders.
"Resource to Asset Transformation" involves converting natural resources such as land, forests, barren mountains, and water bodies, as well as collectively-owned housing, construction land, and infrastructure, into collective business assets. These assets are linked through equity participation in cooperatives, family farms, and other operating entities, with dividends received according to contractual agreements. After over a year of reform, nearly 350,000 acres of collective and farmer land, 50,000 acres of barren hills, and barren beaches in Yixian County, along with facilities and equipment such as water, electricity, housing, and agricultural machinery, as well as intangible assets like management, technology, and brand, have been appraised and converted into equity for the operating entities.
Yixian County Director of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zou Bo, stated that over the past two years of exploration and practice, all 40,000+ impoverished residents in Yixian have been lifted out of poverty, and all 151 poverty-stricken villages have been eliminated, successfully removing the county's poverty status. This year, 239 villages in Yixian have achieved full coverage of the "Three Transformation" reform project, with 207 villages generating collective economic income exceeding 50,000 yuan.
"Previously, rural resources were scattered, funds were dispersed, and farmers were scattered, which constrained the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. Yi County's pioneering exploration has laid the foundation for Jinzhou's 'Three Transformation' reform. Although Jinzhou's 'Three Transformation' reform has just begun, we have tasted the sweetness of reform and it has further strengthened our confidence in the reform," said Wang Dejia, the Secretary of the CPC Committee of Jinzhou City.
