Workshop series aims to boost public servants' competence

Gao Yunfu (with eyeglasses) introduces his cultivating edible fungus business to officials of Huichang county.

A series of training workshops for government officials has been initiated in Huichang county, Jiangxi province, by its top official, Cai Xiaowei.

In December, the first group of 166 cadres began their training.

In addition to reading books and listening to lectures, Cai asked the officials to conduct six field studies over a two-month period, covering poverty relief, countryside tourism, rural e-commerce and waste treatment in villages.

As it often rains in Huichang, Cai said he sometimes had to wear wellington boots while paying these visits to rural households.

Most recently, Cai visited Leishi village, where he met Gao Yunfu, a young innovator and pioneer in cultivating edible fungus.

"Gao is a promising entrepreneur, knowing and enjoying what he is doing," Cai told fellow officials and business executives he brought to visit Gao's company.

"He has some brilliant ideas and possesses the know-how to produce high-quality edible fungus."

Gao is known for growing bamboo fungus, which is considered a delicacy. Last year, he offered free training and consultation for at least 4,000 people from all over the country.

The problem for Gao is that he has more ideas than he can translate into products, due in large part to his lack of money and manpower. Cai encouraged business executives to invest in Gao's company.

"The angel investment in this startup will help turn Gao's ideas into products; not all of them will be successful in the market, but some of them will be," Cai said. "This is the so-called incubator I plan to set up in Huichang."

Cai said he was impressed by the spectacular success of a high-tech and science incubator in Shenzhen's Nanshan district, Guangdong province. After visiting the Nanshan facility, Cai decided that Huichang should also have one to encourage startups to grow.

"Huichang is endowed with natural beauty and abundant natural resources, such as minerals and rivers, but residents here have comparatively less knowledge about advanced things and cutting-edge technology," Cai said.

Reading and field studies are the best way to accumulate knowledge, improve people's morale and their ability to solve problems, Cai said, as he changed shoes.

He was planning to visit a seedling base and a vegetable cooperative next.