I love to see the positive results of my work

In June 2018, I spoke at international conferences in Lanzhou and Qingyang in Gansu province.

The theme was the use of advanced technologies to increase sheep production and efficiency in the province. This would in turn help with poverty alleviation.

The reason I returned to Huanxian county, Qingyang, in August 2018 and keep returning is that I have been an expert in sheep production and breeding for 36 years and I still love doing this work. I love witnessing the positive results from my work.

I saw a real need for my expertise here and felt I could make a big difference to sheep production and people's lives and incomes.

I was inspired by the idea of the poverty alleviation program. The more I learned about it, the more I felt I would be doing something very worthwhile for humanity.

At my age, it feels very good to be giving something back to other people.

The industry is based on some very good breeds, while the farmers are very passionate about raising sheep. They just need a lot of help and education, which I am happy to bring.

I think they are hard workers who are doing their very best with the knowledge they have. They love learning new things and are very open to new ideas. I very much enjoy working with them, sharing their lives and making a difference.

Here, people are friendly, welcoming and supportive. From small farmers to local administrators, everyone is the same. It's like home here. I think Gansu is beautiful. The environment is spectacular, with mountains, valleys, rivers and all the new trees.

I come from Australia, so the area's dusty and dry climate is not too different from my home.

Also, I love the food. I very much like tea, so China is ideal for that. The facilities, such as my apartment and office, are also excellent, which makes daily life much easier. The only uncomfortable thing is the cold (winter) weather.

I have persuaded more than 20 experts from Australia and the United Kingdom to come to Huanxian.

Most of them are part of my personal network and are all colleagues. When I explained the project and the value they would add to the industry and people's lives, they were very happy to come. Also for foreigners, China is still regarded as an "exotic" country and one many would love to visit.

My family lives in Melbourne. They miss me very much when I am away. Because of COVID-19 and all the work I have to do here, I have been away since October. I am hoping to be back home this month, but then I will return in June as we have much to do this year.

My plan is to keep coming back to keep making improvements. We have so much to do.

I want to introduce new methods to keep small farmers safe and healthy by changing the way they work. This will also make the sheep products we all eat much safer and healthier to consume, thus helping Gansu and the country as a whole.

David Osborn spoke with Li Hongyang.