“Potato Connections” is a business with a heart for China’s Mountain Farmers
Problem: the mountains of SW China are an area where poverty is prevalent. Poor access and a harsh cold and wet climate have prevented these areas from prospering like the lowlands of Eastern China.
Outcomes: at the request of the regional political leaders, we have responded with the formation of a special private sector company which is totally subsidized by the couples parent company, in launching a poverty alleviation through potato improvement program for certain mountain communities. The common mission by this couple with that of SPSI has lead to this very highly successful and impactful program.
Elven Huang and husband Peter Wang are the co-founders of Yunnan Tudobang (literally means “Potato Connections”) Agriculture Development Co. Ltd, based in Zhaotong City, SW China on the Tibetan plateau of the Himalayan mountains. Tudobang is a business with a heart for helping poor mountain potato farmers prosper. The strategy is to empower numerous cooperative groups, of up to 450 farm families, work together to grow potatoes. Tudobang provides quality crop inputs and guarantees bank financing to the cooperatives. Tudobang staff partner with the farmers sharing technical guidance during the growing season. Tudobang also guarantees the price and sale of the harvested potatoes for seed, table or processing markets. This model, developed by Tudobang with Sunrise Potato Systems institute (SPSI), has garnered careful attention from local and Provincial government leaders, who have now implemented a similar strategy with other groups of poor mountain potato farmers. These efforts are part of the national program of Poverty Alleviation in rural areas of China. SPSI is fortunate to partner with such a dynamic program with a common mission and vision for helping alleviate poverty in mountain communities.