Farmers develop under-forest economy in Xiuwen

Peaches in Dashi Bouyei township, Xiuwen county, Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, have entered ripening season.

The red peaches can be seen hanging on tree branches in gardens in the township.

Peaches hang on branches in gardens in Dashi Bouyei township, Xiuwen county. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiuwen county]

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and heavy rains recently, sales of peaches have been low this year, so peach farmers are looking for other ways to make money.

Under the peach gardens, mud ridges built with dung and straw have been arranged one after another to cultivate earthworms.

Farmers breed earthworms under peach gardens in Dashi Bouyei township, Xiuwen county. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiuwen county]

Farmers took the initiative to learn how to use earthworm breeding technology and introduced earthworms suited to the under-forest economy so as to make better use of their peach gardens.

So far, the cultivation of earthworms is still in its infancy. They will eventually be made into dried earthworms, which can be sold as Chinese medicinal materials. They can also be made into natural organic fertilizer and used as seedlings and crops to fertilize, creating both economic and environmental benefits.