Mushroom farmer praised for spreading scientific knowledge

After dedicating more than two decades of his life to teaching others how to grow bamboo mushrooms in rural China, Gao Yunwang was named one of the 2023 China Science Communication Top 10 Figures at a ceremony in Beijing in March.

His efforts to popularize scientific knowledge, especially among rural farmers in Fujian province, have enabled them to improve their agricultural techniques and increase their incomes. Gao’s teachings have impacted farmers from nearly 200 villages, lifting them out of poverty and contributing to an income increase of 1.4 billion yuan ($194.6 million) over the past two decades.

Over the years, he has focused on innovating and promoting bamboo mushroom cultivation techniques, helping farmers in Fujian and surrounding areas achieve better economic benefits.

It started in the early 1990s, when Shunchang Province in Fujian was identified as a suitable place to promote the cultivation of bamboo mushrooms – a variety used throughout the country in the preparation of various dishes.

In the town of Dali, where Gao lives, farmers tried to grow mushrooms, but failed due to a lack of experience.

This set Gao on the path to breaking down the barriers to success, introducing new technology and techniques, and giving his fellow villagers the opportunity to succeed.

In 2001, Gao, then a city government executive, became a science and technology envoy and began researching high-yield bamboo mushroom cultivation techniques.

One of his first and most influential breakthroughs was the discovery that using bamboo shavings in the cultivation process would reduce costs and produce higher yields. In his research he quickly achieved a record yield of 1,500 kilos of mushrooms per hectare, doubling the traditional plant yield.

Gao then went door to door in the nearby villages, distributing technical materials to the villagers and organizing training courses to gradually spread his techniques.

With Gao’s help, Shunchang’s bamboo mushroom planting industry flourished until it became China’s largest bamboo mushroom planting base with 667 hectares of land under use.

“During the harvest season, drying techniques are crucial in determining the quality and price of bamboo mushrooms. Local mushroom growers with years of cultivation experience have become experts in this field,” said Gao.

With the development of the agricultural industry came improved sales channels.

The latest sales channels have come through social platforms. “Many people in the village are now using Douyin, a video sharing and live streaming platform, so I wanted to try it too,” he said.

In October 2021, under the guidance of neighbors such as Lan Shuifeng, Gao installed Douyin on his mobile phone and uploaded a set of photos of bamboo mushrooms. Then Gao uploaded some videos on bamboo mushroom cultivation technique. One video of him watering bamboo mushrooms was viewed more than 14,000 times in five days.

“Douyin videos are intuitive and fast, and the effect is good. I want to use these social platforms to help more people learn more about this unusual agricultural product and enable distant mushroom growers to understand new high-yield cultivation techniques, Gao said.

His WeChat group dedicated to bamboo mushroom cultivation has 500 mushroom growers from across the country sharing their experiences and tips.

Over the past two decades, Gao has traveled and taught his techniques in 23 provinces and cities in five provinces, including Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Anhui, lifting 368 people from 103 households out of poverty.

In mid-March, Gao, who retired more than half a year ago, arrived at a field in Renshou town, Shunchang, to teach mushroom farmers and young science and technology envoys about bamboo mushroom planting techniques.

Gao’s most cherished memory of the impact he had on rural communities is embodied in a single letter he received from a fellow villager in the 1990s, a letter he still personally carries to this day.

“In the letter, this villager mentioned his family’s difficulties in having to leave his hometown to earn a living as a migrant worker, and how difficult it was. His letter touched me and inspired me to continuously delve into bamboo mushroom cultivation techniques , and not We not only learn from experts, but also educate the broader farming community into the fields,” Gao said.

Luo Jiayuan contributed to this story.