Zhuangzitian, a village once severely impacted by rocky desertification in Southwest China's Yunnan province, has reversed a decades-long trend of environmental degradation and economic migration by developing a 15-million-yuan ($2.2 million) cactus cultivation and processing industry.
According to local village data, the initiative has successfully restored 80 hectares of previously barren land in the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture. The ecological shift has increased regional vegetation coverage from 32 percent to 75 percent and reduced annual soil erosion by an estimated 12,000 metric tons.
The environmental rehabilitation has triggered an economic turnaround for the village, which previously saw 70 percent of its young and middle-aged population leave for urban centers due to a shortage of arable land. By 2025, per capita income in Zhuangzitian reached 32,000 yuan, representing a 2.2-fold increase from 2022 levels and prompting a full return of the village's migrant workforce.
Opening a path
The restructuring program began in 2021 under the direction of Lu Chunhong, the village Party branch secretary, who returned to Zhuangzitian after two decades in the private sector. Lu targeted the region's native cactus population — a drought-resistant plant that had been grown on a small scale for over 200 years but lacked commercial scale or supply chain integration.
Traditionally, a household growing cacti on 0.67 hectares could earn up to 15,000 yuan annually from selling fresh fruit. However, by creating a cooperative that processes the fruit into dried products, their annual income could potentially increase more than threefold.
To incentivize participation, Lu established an agricultural cooperative and introduced a formalized collective profit-sharing model: 50 percent of returns are allocated to villagers who pool their land assets, 30 percent is distributed evenly among all residents, and 20 percent is directed into public welfare funds.
The villagers were soon convinced and eagerly pooled their land into the cooperative, initiating large-scale cactus cultivation.
With years of business experience, Lu realized that to propel the cactus industry forward, it was essential to extend the value chain.
He spearheaded the development of a comprehensive system that includes seedling cultivation, technical guidance and product procurement. A 4,000-square-meter processing facility was established to seamlessly integrate harvesting, processing and storage, effectively tackling challenges like cactus preservation and initial processing limitations.
Lu actively collaborated with institutions like China Agricultural University in Beijing and Southwest Forestry University in Kunming to form a 20-member research and development team, creating over 10 high-value-added products such as cactus beer and enzymes. This shift from selling raw materials to marketing finished products and brands enhanced the value-added potential by more than threefold.
To diversify sales channels, Lu partnered with a local agricultural investment company to establish a specialized operations team that covers offline supply, online sales and exports. As a result, the products are now available across several provinces and in neighboring countries.
In August 2025, 20 tons of edible cactus pads were exported to Vietnam, representing China's first cross-border shipment of these products, according to Kunming Customs.
Truong Cong Le Hoang, an executive member of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, sampled cactus-based products like cactus beverages, describing their main advantages as having a "health concept" and "cultural appeal".
As the cactus market grows, the village has expanded its cultivation, reaching approximately 333 hectares last year, with a total annual output value of 15 million yuan.
Industrial diversification
The village has simultaneously diversified into secondary and tertiary industries, establishing an annual Cactus Cultural Tourism Festival since 2022 to drive agritourism.
Local residents have converted the increased foot traffic into direct retail revenue. Zhang Dengyun, a 51-year-old villager, said that during the peak festival period, direct on-site farm sales reached 40,000 yuan in a single day.
"This year, we plan to extend the festival from one day to three days," Lu said.
These festivals have put the village on the map. In 2025, the village attracted 100,000 tourists, providing a significant boost to the local dining scene.
The increased liquidity has altered local farming infrastructure. The Zhang family, whose household income rose from 100,000 yuan in 2022 to over 200,000 yuan in 2025 alongside a 30,000-yuan collective dividend, recently integrated commercial drones into their harvesting operations to bypass difficult mountain terrain.
"Previously, it took half an hour to carry a basket of cactus pads from the field to the transport truck by the roadside," Zhang said. "Now, with the drone, they can move two baskets in just two minutes, greatly enhancing efficiency and reducing physical strain. Nowadays, farming isn't as tough as it used to be."
Other residents have transitioned into the hospitality sector. Wang Yunxi, a 44-year-old villager, has operated a themed cactus restaurant since December 2021, drawing food enthusiasts from Beijing, Shanghai, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Zhejiang province.
"My restaurant is doing great, as many visitors are eager to try our cactus-themed feast. Last year, our revenue surpassed 400,000 yuan," Wang said.
He added that the most popular dish is chicken soup with cactus fruit, and he plans to develop more dishes to cater to the tastes of tourists from different regions.
Li Jiawen, a 43-year-old villager, opened a casual eatery serving drinks and snacks, providing tourists visiting the village with a place to relax. It opened in January and can seat up to 70 guests.
"My eatery usually gets busier on weekends, and we're seeing more and more visitors from other provinces," Li said.
It's not just the local villagers who have seized the opportunity to start businesses; outside investors are also attracted to the village's potential and are investing in educational tourism.
In 2024, Gao Bo from Chongqing started investing in educational tourism projects in the village and quickly reaped the benefits. By 2025, Gao's team had attracted nearly 40,000 visitors, generating revenues exceeding 300,000 yuan.
Among the visitors were kindergarten children who engaged in learning about cacti, pine trees and insects while getting physical exercise on specially designed hiking trails. Elementary school students have also visited the village, mainly for spring and autumn outings, as well as hands-on experiences like farming activities.
"I am optimistic about the village's growth prospects and view it as a compelling investment opportunity," Gao said.
The development of the cactus industry in Zhuangzitian has not only been an advancement in agriculture but has also been a comprehensive development of ecological management, rural vitalization, cultural-tourism integration and cross-border cooperation, according to Hoang from the Vietnamese entrepreneurs association.
Happy returns
The development of Zhuangzitian village has brought tangible benefits to its residents.
In 2025, Wang's family earned an additional 40,000 yuan in dividends from the village cooperative.
"My family's income is now significantly higher than when my wife and I were working out of the village. Back then, after covering our living expenses, we could save at most 60,000 yuan," he said.
What brings Wang even more comfort is that being back home allows him to better care for his elderly parents and two children.
Fellow eatery operator Li can really relate to this feeling. After spending nearly 20 years away from home, he's now back with a business and can finally enjoy quality time with his family.
Zhuangzitian village's green development path has attracted the attention of Vietnam, which shares a border with Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture.
Starting in 2023, Vietnamese delegations have frequently visited Zhuangzitian village to explore collaboration opportunities.
Hoang said that the village's experience holds significant value for Vietnam. Some areas in his country face similar challenges, such as inefficient land use. However, cacti, known for their drought resistance, adaptability and high economic value, are ideally suited for cultivation in these regions.
By integrating the industry with local tourism, youth entrepreneurship and green agriculture in Vietnam, there is potential to develop a unique and innovative industrial chain in the future, he added.