Subsidies turn desert control into moneymaker
Residents of Xinjiang's Hotan prefecture take up challenge to hold back shifting sand
"We suffer severe flying dust in Hotan. I have to sweep the floor at home every day," Sudiomar said. "I think if we can do this work and stick with it, it will benefit us — and it will leave a better future for our kids and grandkids."
Under their cooperative agreement, Sudiomar covers the financial risk and equipment costs, while the 18 partners provide the labor, receiving steady wages during the grueling reclamation phase. Once the crops mature and turn a profit, the workers will receive a 20 percent revenue share.
While Sudiomar waits for official forestry bureau verification to trigger her first-year subsidies — which offer 30,000 yuan per hectare for trees and 22,500 yuan for shrubs — the local government has mitigated her risk by absorbing heavy infrastructure costs.
The government has built access roads, and covers the water and electricity costs required to run the irrigation pumps during the project's critical initial establishment phase. Government agricultural technicians also often visit the plot to provide guidance.
