HAIKOU, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- A large plot of salinized farmland has been successfully transformed into grassland in south China's Hainan Province, boosting tourism and poverty reduction.
Authorities in Wenchang City brought in three companies last year to develop the farmland, which farmers abandoned after seawater encroached on the area in 2014 due to a typhoon.
Currently, the grassland covers an area of 270 hectares and will expand to 660 hectares at the end of this year, said Yan Pinglong, chairman of Qiongbei grassland investment company, which was established by state-owned Luodou Farm last year.
Yan's company cooperates with three other firms to develop the grassland.
The companies rent the farmland from villagers and employ them help with cultivation to increase their income. Many local farmers remain poor.
Wang Zhenye, a fisherman, now helps with weeding at the flower base of the grassland.
"I earn 100 yuan (about 16 U.S. dollars) per day when I work part-time here," he said.
