Dingxi City of northwest China's Gansu Province is afflicted by drought. Local farmers prefer "tough" crops that can survive the climate like corns and potatoes. After decades of development, Dingxi is referred to as the "land of potato", where every household grows it for a living. Over the past 70 years, the potatoes have been playing an important role in the farmers' lives.

Zhang Shou, a local farmer who has been growing potato all his life, doesn't like to eat it at all, as it reminds him of a starving childhood when potatoes were basically the only food available. By the mid-1980s, grains finally met their basic needs. Although for the generation of Zhang's father, potatoes saved lives.

In the 1990s, potatoes brought meat to the table. 

"We began to have good harvests and were able to breed pigs and sheep," Zhang recalled. "And we finally had meat in our daily diet."

Zhang hoped potatoes could bring him more. He used to run a small restaurant in Zhangye City near Dingxi. There, he met some potential customers who intended to purchase a large sum of agricultural products. In 2004, he went back to his hometown and began to grow potatoes in abundance.

At first, his farm was small with everything relying on manual labor. Later, as people who chose to work in the big cities transferred their lands to him, the farm grew bigger. "In 2010, I got the farmland of nearly 37 hectares," said Zhang. Dirt roads built around the village improved transportation for Zhang's work. Trucks and machinery also helped yield more crops. 

"Before, with four workers and two cattle, we could only seed and fertilize 0.8 hectares per day. Now, with three workers and a machine, we can work on more than 8 hectares per day. That's far more efficient," he said.

Techniques are also crucial. Training courses were set up to help them utilize the machines and improve crops with organic methods. 

"We used to be ordinary peasants," said Zhang. "But now we are professional farmers. We even have to pass tests for certificates. Educated personnel are needed to improve the agricultural industry."

Zhang set up a cooperative in 2014. Several potato farmers work together with him as a mediator who helps sell their products. It's a magnificent view of machines operating in the vast field.

"There are still a lot to do to improve our business. The younger ones are full of ideas," noted Zhang, who plans to grow organic potatoes in parts of his field, as they are a popular product in the cities. "We should take one step at a time," he said. "Just like the crops, they grow when the time is right."