Ji Guiling, a farmer in Mizhi county in Northwest China's Shaanxi province and a deputy to the National People's Congress, checks the growth of apples in her orchard. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Ji Guiling, a farmer in Mizhi county in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has been dedicated to agricultural empowerment for the last decade.

Born in 1971 in the countryside of Mizhi, Ji grew up in a family struggling in economic hardship. She dropped out of high school and got herself back in the toils of farm life to support her family at a young age. Eventually, her unwavering work ethic earned her the reputation of the "all-rounder woman" in her village.

In 2012, Ji made a bold decision to return to her rural roots after a stint in entrepreneurship in Mizhi county. Driven by a vision to uplift her community, she took on the challenge of revitalizing 500 mu (around 33.33 hectares) of barren land into a thriving apple orchard, founding the Mizhi County Gaojian Guiling Apple Planting Specialized Cooperative. Her decision surprised many locals, who were confused by her choice to leave a comfortable urban life for the rugged terrain of agriculture.

Ji replied with actions. She meticulously transformed traditional terraced fields into expansive ones, learning and implementing advanced agricultural techniques. Her days were consumed by the intricate processes of cultivation, pruning, pest control and harvest.

Over time, her dedication and practical experience turned her into a self-taught expert in apple planting. She actively encouraged her fellow villagers to join the cooperative, sharing her expertise without reservation.

Through relentless efforts, Ji turned the once desolate hills into a flourishing apple paradise, paving the way for her community's prosperity. Her apple orchard now serves as a model that integrates production, packaging, storage, sales and agricultural supply, providing employment for almost 100 villagers and training 43 farmers as specialized apple planters for the cooperative.

Currently, Mizhi has an area of 230,000 mu of mountain apple orchards, with a fruit-bearing area of 140,000 mu and an annual apple output of around 130,000 tons.

As a grassroots deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), Ji fully understands the challenges faced by rural communities. Her commitment to conveying the voices of farmers has led her to  submit suggestions to the NPC sessions, which centered on supporting the high-quality development of the apple industry in Shaanxi and promoting the use of small-scale agricultural machinery in hilly regions to advance agricultural modernization and make farmers' wallets fuller.

Ji envisions a future where rural life thrives, propelled by the synergy of government policies, entrepreneurial spirit and rural vitalization strategies.

Her notebook brims with future plans, from fostering local industries and rural tourism to pioneering agricultural education centers for children. Her ultimate goal remains unwavering — to enhance the living conditions of her fellow villagers, nurture talent, and instill hope in rural communities.

Feng Tian contributed to this story.