File photo taken on Sept 14, 2013 shows the drip irrigation equipment used by Elion. [Photo by Kang Wenkui/Xinhua]

The company has to date invested more than 38 billion yuan ($5.82 billion) in improving the envirionvmental conditions in the desert. Its input has generated more than 500 billion yuan in environmental wealth, and has helped 102,000 local farmers shake off poverty.

The success at Kubuqi relies not only on hard work but also on technological innovation. More than 200 environmental technologies and technological solutions have been invented to improve the desert environment.