Setbacks and solutions

Hu Jihua's business model - a village cooperative that sells farm produce and local delicacies - is constantly being challenged.

This year, the weather has been the main enemy for residents of Lequn, a village in the mountains of Guizhou province, after searing heat damaged the crops. Moreover, a slump in the price of coix, a cereal crop also known as Job's tears and grown by many people in the village, and the loss of many fields of konjac, or elephant yam, to a crop disease have added to the problems.

"Our losses were huge this year. As a result of abnormally high temperatures and humidity, we lost a lot of crops. Overall, hundreds of hectares worth 600,000($85,700) to 700,000 yuan have been basically wasted." Hu said, pointing to a large area of land that has produced nothing but worthless grass.