The city of Yan'an in China's northwestern Shaanxi province was once a barren land riddled with poverty and desolation. But now, it touts its vibrant natural environment. 

The project to turn farmland into forests has paid off for the northern Chinese city. But launching the project was anything but easy. In the beginning, farmers had to be persuaded to shift from farming to planting trees and other vegetation. 

"It's really hard to quit the land they've been living on for generations. We did everything to explain," says Liu Guangliang, deputy director of the Forestry Bureau of Wuqi county in Yan'an.

"Many of us were unwilling at first. We had no idea how to live life afterward," says Wang Fuliang. He lives in Nanniwan Santai village and was one of the participants in the "farmland to forests” project. "But soon after, the government sent food and money to us," Wang said.

Wang was among 1.2 million farmers who hesitated to change until they received economic support that far exceeded what they had earned in the past by traditional farming.

Over 5,000 U.S. dollars per family was enough to deal with starvation problems. But the government's plan was for them to live better in the long run. One of the solutions found was to cultivate cash crops that matched local conditions.

Growing apples turned out to be a smart choice.

“We have planted hundreds of acres of apple trees since 2015. This has become the main source of income for villagers," says Zhangwei, secretary of Nangou village.

"Life's getting better now. I grow fewer crops, but earn more money," villager Gao Qingcai noted.

With sufficient sunshine and perfect temperature, Yan'an is an ideal place to grow apples. Official statistics show that one out of every nine apples sold in China can be traced back to Yan'an. It's an industry valued as high as 10 billion yuan, more than enough to get Yan'an out of poverty. And consciousness about the environment has grown among locals. 

In tomorrow's edition of our Green Revolution series, we'll show you what happens when people are committed to protecting their surroundings.

(Special thanks to Yan'an TV)