Looking to land an idyll job

From planting to management and sales, agriculture is a business with a complete chain, Niu adds.

In 2021, due to a disagreement about the direction the farm's development was taking, they left the business and started providing technical support to farmers and agricultural companies in nearby villages.

Later that year, they rented 1,000 square meters of land to plant succulents as a new starting point.

"We will not quit the sector, but it has taken time to find a path that suits us," Niu says, adding that they've learned to use social media as a powerful tool for connecting with consumers.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, from 2012 to last year, over 12.2 million people have returned or moved to rural areas with the aspiration of starting their own business.

Despite having been through various difficulties and challenges, Niu, Xu, Liao and Guo all agree that the agricultural sector has a promising future, and more young people need to try and find a way to build their own connection with the soil.