Party officials and local residents inspect some cabbage in a field in Lingyun community, Rugao. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Lingyun community in Rugao, Nantong, which was rated as "weak" in economic development by the Jiangsu provincial government in 2016, has carved a path to a better life through land transfers and collective production under the lead of the community's Party branch, local media outlets reported.

"There are many ways to lift people out of poverty. What we did was to fully utilize the land to create economic benefits," said Ben Yanan, Party secretary of the community.

Ben explained that a lot of land in the community was left unused, as many young people worked away from home, leaving behind the elderly and children, who could not farm the land.

That was why she and her colleagues decided to establish a cooperative to transfer the land for collective farming.

According to Ben, the farm land has been directly managed by Party officials, who have been working to increase output.

The cooperative generated nearly 600,000 yuan ($92,219) in profits in 2020. Some of the profits will be used to improve the community's infrastructure and some of them were distributed to local residents as rents and bonuses. 

"Thanks to the cooperative, our incomes have increased and living standards have improved," said local resident Fan Lintai. 

The community has now shaken off the "weak" economic development label and is on its way to prosperity.