Xinjiang youth aspires to fight poverty with pigeon breeding
01:04

Yusupjan Molla, 23, is a technician at a pigeon breeding company in Yarkant County, Kashgar Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Aspiring to be an expert in pigeon breeding, Molla studied animal husbandry and veterinary sciences in Xinjiang Agriculture Vocational Technical College and has been raising pigeons for two years at the company. 

Molla learned breeding techniques and treatment methods from experts at a farm. "The company gave me a great opportunity to study in the city of Korla. I came back and taught poor households how to raise pigeons," said the young pigeon breeder. 

The pigeon breeding base in Yarkant County has provided jobs for many fresh graduates and 75 underprivileged households nearby. With advanced breeding techniques, pigeon production at the base has witnessed an increase of 40 percent as compared to traditional methods. The company presently provides livelihood to nearly 600 villagers. Each household earns more than 5,000 yuan (around 732 U.S. dollars) by raising pigeons.

In the future, Yusupjan hopes to open his own pigeon breeding farm in his hometown Aketao County by using the money he saved in this project. "These villagers would be able to work on my farm and make money," he said.

Video editor: Mi Xue

Filmed by: He Zhu

Chief editor: Xu Jian 

Producer: Wen Yaru

Director: Pang Xinhua