Farming shakeup is magnet for migrants

In 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture and the China National Tourism Administration established the Lanling National Agricultural Park in Daicun, the first of its kind in China. It has sections for agritech display, produce picking experiences and holiday activities.

The park receives more than 1 million visitors a year and provides over 200 training sessions for farmers to teach them the best practices of modern farming.

Villagers are the ultimate beneficiaries of the reforms. Daicun provides scholarships ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 yuan to students of all ages. Seniors also receive cash rewards each year after they turn 80 to celebrate their longevity.

All Daicun farmers have moved into 65 apartment blocks with modern facilities that were built on previous residential sites, which means no farmland was used.

Long Zhijiang, 60, a resident from Daicun who conceded that he was originally skeptical of Wang's reforms, said the transformation seen during the past two decades would be unimaginable without the Party chief's foresight and determination.

Now Wang is aiming even higher. "Daicun has many industries related to agriculture, but it hasn't tapped into the high-tech sector," he said. "I hope to see an even better Daicun in a decade."