"Cash crops?" Wu Hao said with interest.

Yang Fang nodded and said: "That's right, the desertification prevention and control project is huge, and it is difficult for an individual or a group of people to be competent." It is necessary to mobilize the people and involve everyone together, so that the strength of many people is strong.

Although there are many public welfare desertification control and tree planting projects, which have also achieved good results, the power is still too small, and it cannot fundamentally solve the current situation of local people's poverty.

Therefore, we believe that only by mobilizing the enthusiasm of the local people and allowing them to exert their own strength, we can not only get rid of poverty in the local area, but also achieve good desertification prevention and control results.

Judging from the import data of agricultural products in our country in recent years, our country has become the world's largest consumer of agricultural product imports and the largest consumer of meat products.

Because of the strong demand for meat products, it has also stimulated the development of the domestic aquaculture industry. The vigorous development of the aquaculture industry has led to the development of the feed industry, especially the green fodder, which is very vigorous.

Like in the Central Plains, many places have given up growing grain and started to grow green fodder.

The Northwest Territories is an important gathering place for a small number of XX in our country, and it is also a traditional livestock area with a long history in animal husbandry.

Of course, it is also because of the relatively developed livestock industry, which leads to the degradation of grassland vegetation, which accelerates desertification.

The two seem to be very contradictory, so we wondered if we could combine the two. It can not only develop animal husbandry, so that the local people can get rid of poverty and become rich, but also can plant trees and forests, prevent sand and fix sand. ”

"This contradiction has been going on in this area for thousands of years, and it is becoming more and more acute, and I am afraid it will be difficult to solve." Wu Hao couldn't help but sigh when he heard this.

"Yes, but it's not like there's no solution." Yang Fang nodded and said: "In the past, the contradictions were sharp, mainly because the people's concepts were outdated, their scientific awareness was not strong enough, and they did not know the harm of fishing with all their resources.

And now we're doing both at the same time when we're doing this. How much pasture to plant, how many sheep to raise. How much green fodder there is, how many livestock to raise.

The more livestock there are, the more money people make, which in turn encourages them to grow larger pastures. In this way, it will promote the realization of desertification control, play a role in sand prevention and fixation, and gradually green.

Moreover, the reason why the desert is barren is not all because of drought, but also related to the poor desert soil, and the cultivation of these crops and pastures is conducive to improving the desert soil.

In this way, even if these people no longer graze livestock in the future, the improved soil will be more conducive to the growth of plants, so as to achieve the goal of completely controlling desertification. ”

Hearing Yang Fang's introduction, Zou Xiaodong couldn't help but say loudly: "The idea is very good, but I am afraid it will be difficult to realize."

First of all, water is needed for any crop. Large-scale sand control and sand fixation requires a large amount of water. The drought in the Northwest is well known, and how to get so much water.

The second problem is that whether it is gene-edited or genetically modified plants, there is not enough evidence to prove their safety and will not cause harm to animals and people, as well as biological chains.

Whether the genetically modified crops you have cultivated can be accepted by the public, or even approved, is a question. ”

Hearing Zou Xiaodong's words, Yang Fang nodded very calmly and smiled: "You are right, this is indeed the question that everyone is most concerned about at present, and it is also the question that asks us the most."

First of all, the first question is that the lack of the Northwest is a fact, and this is the fundamental purpose of our project.

The goal of our project is to grow drought-tolerant plants that are suitable for desert growth, and if there is no shortage of water, then what is the point of continuing this project.

As for genetically modified technology, this is also what everyone is most concerned about. However, from a scientific point of view, GM technology is still safe, but people are a little too demonized about GM technology.

In fact, we have more or less eaten genetically modified foods, such as genetically modified cooking oil, genetically modified foods, genetically modified vegetables.

Genetically modified technology has been developed for decades, and it is relatively mature at present. Moreover, scientists and bionaturalists have been observing the impact of genetically modified plants on the natural world, and there is no tangible evidence to prove that it is harmful to nature and the entire biological chain.

In fact, what we do is more like a genetic hybridization technology, which crosses and fuses the characteristics or attributes of a variety of plants, and all the genes come from these plants themselves, so what's the harm?

As for whether it can be approved, this must be considered comprehensively by weighing the pros and cons. If we cultivate drought-tolerant plants that can prevent wind and fix sand, and control deserts, I believe it will not be difficult to pass the approval. ”

"So what do you think we can do to profit from it? Know that we are a company, not a charity. With so much investment, you definitely still want to make a profit, how can you guarantee this piece. Zou Xiaodong asked.

Yang Fang shook her head and said, "I am a scientist, I don't understand the company's operation, and I dare not guarantee whether it can be profitable." What I can do is to deliver on my promise to breed excellent drought-tolerant plants, and how to operate it depends on the operation of the company. ”

Hearing Yang Fang's words, Zou Xiaodong was about to say something more, but was interrupted by Wu Hao: "Okay, what we need to do now is to cultivate these drought-tolerant plants, and we need to think about how to operate them." ”

Indeed, how to operate is also a question. With so much investment, if it can't be profitable at that time, then it will have a big impact on the company.

Of course, Wu Hao is also confident in this project.

Taking Yang Fang's drought-tolerant moso bamboo as an example, if it is really successfully cultivated, breeding alone can bring them great benefits every year. The second is the value of these drought-tolerant bamboos themselves, such as being used to make paper, which are definitely ideal raw materials. And for this kind of plantation, the state also has subsidies, as well as carbon sink benefits, etc., in general, the income is still very good.

Of course, the biggest benefit is the benefits of desertification control. In this way, Wu Hao will also accumulate huge social prestige, which is conducive to the positive and green image of their company.

And in a biological project like this, the investment is actually not high, and the biggest cost should be the remuneration part of the researcher.

Therefore, in Wu Hao's view, this project seems to be a bit whimsical, but in fact it is still relatively feasible, at least it is still very promising.