On the vast edge of the desert in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a new greenery is quietly emerging. This area, once characterized by endless yellow sands and a fragile ecosystem, is gradually becoming vibrant thanks to the efforts of many people, like Kadir Osman.

Photo shows Kadir Osman's cultivation site for Haloxylon ammodendron and cistanche deserticola in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Photo shows Kadir Osman inspects the freshly-dug cistanche deserticola in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"The sandy land has turned green, and the wind and sand have diminished. Areas that were once barren can now generate income." On December 1, 2024, Kadir Osman was busy at his Haloxylon ammodendron and cistanche deserticola cultivation site. By planting Haloxylon ammodendron and grafting cistanche deserticola at their roots, he has transformed the wind-swept desert into fields of hope, improving the local ecological environment and providing substantial economic benefits for himself and the surrounding villagers.

Photo shows Kadir Osman inspects the growing condition of cistanche deserticola with customers in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In 2019, witnessing the desert's relentless encroachment on green spaces, Kadir Osman resolved to make a change. "I do not want my hometown and future generations to be surrounded by endless sands." He gave up his original jujube wholesale business to devote himself to the fight against desertification.

Photo shows Kadir Osman with workers in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Initially, Kadir Osman faced a major challenge when his loan application was rejected; how could he farm the land without finance? "I am particularly grateful to Qi Min, the then-first secretary of the village's Party committee. Upon learning that I intended to plant the Haloxylon ammodendron and cistanche deserticola in sandy soil, he assisted me throughout the process of securing a bank loan and even helped me apply for policy subsidy funds..." With the support of Qi Min, Kadir Osman successfully obtained the loan, securing the necessary startup capital.

Photo shows Kadir Osman discusses the quality of the cistanche deserticola with workers in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

With a mindset of experimentation, he decided to trial the cultivation of about 8.4 hectares of Haloxylon ammodendron and cistanche deserticola, which yielded a corresponding market return of 100,000 yuan (about 13,715 U.S. dollars), significantly boosting his confidence. Having experienced success, he decided to expand and leased a further about 53 hectares of sandy land. However, he understood that risk and reward are always intertwined.

"I remember in 2022, I mistakenly selected the wrong saplings, resulting in 80 percent of them failing to thrive; on another occasion, a batch of wholesale saplings was not properly managed in time, leading to nearly half of them dying; and once, due to delayed watering, many trees in the field perished, which was heartbreaking for me..." Kadir Osman recalled, "Fortunately, Qi Min later connected me with experts who taught me how to select and purchase quality saplings, manage daily care, and utilize drip irrigation technology to reduce costs, among other things."

Photo shows Kadir Osman inspects the harvested cistanche deserticola in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

With the support of various bodies, Kadir Osman has gradually mastered the cultivation techniques for cistanche deserticola. Since 2023, he has seen substantial profits, achieving a yield of over 200 kilograms per mu (one mu equals 0.07 hectares) and an annual income exceeding three million yuan (about 411,467 U.S. dollars). As Kadir Osman celebrates his bountiful harvest, other villagers also benefit; during the two-month harvesting period, he employs 20 local villagers daily, each earning 120 yuan per day.

Photo shows Kadir Osman inspects the harvested cistanche deserticola in Tageairike Village, Awat Township, Hetian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"This year's cistanche deserticola is of even better quality. In addition to wholesale selling fresh products as in previous years, I plan to dry a portion as well, as the market price for dried goods is also very favorable."

Kadir Osman is steadily crafting his own approaches to managing cistanche deserticola. With five years of experience under his belt in working with sandy soils, he continually motivates himself and his fellow desert reclamation team with the conviction that "it has been proven that even in harsh desert environments, one can create a 'green bank' through wisdom and hard work."

(The Media Convergence Center of Hetian County, Reporter: Luo Ying, Correspondent: Miao Shuaikang)