2001 Volume 53 Issue 1 Pages 21-33
The purpose of this paper is to examine the reality of the poor villages and attempts to overcome poverty in mountainous areas in China. This research deals with two villages, A and B, in Hechi Prefecture, Guangxi Autonomous Region. Through interviews with the peasants, the data concerning farm management, the income structure of each household, and measures against poverty were obtained.
The findings are summarized as follows:
(1) Even though the grain yield of Village A and B has increased by introducing new cultivation methods and high-yield crop variety, the situation of food shortage persists, because of low fertility of tillable land.
(2) Village A has attempted to increase their income by goats raising under the leadership of the local government. The sales of goats have become farmers' main cash income source, yet this measure has not helped them to alleviate poverty.
(3) In the case of Village B, the villagers started to plant bamboo and manufacture bamboo products. Owing to this new industry, the cash income of Village B largely increased. However, this income standard is still under the poverty line established by the Central Government.
