Pu Changwen, head of the Maifeng Farmers Specialized Cooperative in Songming county of Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, is spearheading agricultural development in his hometown.

The mountainous village of Maichong is built on red earth, which is portrayed as representing the diligence, sincerity, simplicity and purity of Pu and his fellow villagers. High above the mountains, sunlight and gentle breezes mingle with the earthy scent and the aroma of sweet potatoes.

Pu, who is also a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), described sweet potatoes as sweet gifts of the red earth at an altitude of over 2000 meters. "They are small, but once roasted, they become incredibly sweet,” he said.

Pu's connection with the earth runs deep in his bones. He studied agriculture at a vocational school, aspiring to improve the impoverished lives of his fellow villagers. After graduation, he worked as a vegetable deliveryman and a planting technician, and gained the full set of techniques for cultivating green vegetables. "I used to grow lettuce for 30 years, and people called me the 'Lettuce King'."

Back then, villagers were hesitant to follow in his footsteps, reluctant to pin their hopes on such a small vegetable. Through door-to-door visits and persuasion, several relatives and friends cautiously tried planting around two hectares of lettuce.

Nourished by the red earth, the fields flourished with greenery, symbolizing hope for the villagers' prosperity. Currently, more than 870 local households grow vegetables, boosting the annual income of farmers by over six million yuan ($831,500). Over 2,000 people in more than 10 impoverished villages have embarked on the path to prosperity.

In 2023, Pu was elected as an NPC deputy. Speaking of his first time entering the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to attend the first session of the 14th NPC, Pu said he was eager to promote agricultural products and introduce Yunnan and Songming to a wider audience.

He said that the NPC deputy is not just a title, but brings a weighty responsibility. "Issues concerning the immediate interests of the people must be taken seriously and addressed promptly."

As a deputy from rural background, Pu has paid much attention to the development of rural collective economic cooperatives, agricultural product quality and safety, and agricultural modernization in his duty performance. Through on-site surveys and engagement with local farmers, he explored new pathways for agricultural and rural development. "To prosper, one must have diversified approaches," he added.

Upon his return from the second session of the 14th NPC in 2024, Pu shifted his focus from lettuce to the more profitable sweet potato and planted more than 20 hectares.

He also consulted local agricultural experts and established the "Experts' Small Courtyard", a modern agricultural development model that integrates enterprises, cooperatives and production bases.

Pu said his plan is to build a brand of ecological agricultural products and create a new form of modern agricultural development that integrates leisure agriculture with green and ecological development. All these efforts will lead to the realization of the beautiful vision of "planting sweet potatoes to develop an industry, connect farmers and enrich local residents, he said.

Pu Changwen, head of the Maifeng Farmers Specialized Cooperative in Songming county of Kunming, Southwest China;s Yunnan province, and a deputy to the National People's Congress, inspects sweet potatoes. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Li Qianwen contributed to this story.