Failing Farmers Flock To The Factory Floor

A government-led initiative has helped impoverished rural workers find suitable jobs in cities. Zhang Zhihao reports from Yunxi, Hubei province.

It was 5:30 am on a summer morning when Qian Zhengcang, 51, climbed a mountain slope to survey his 0.13 hectares of cornfields in Dongsi village, Yunxi county, Hubei province. His heart sank when he saw patches of dried corn straws and realized the summer drought had destroyed most of his crops.

Qian's parents, both in their mid-70s, have chronic illnesses, and he has lost some of his motor skills after a stroke so he can no longer undertake heavy farm work.