A flower garden is seen in Shangang village, Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Ge Jianfeng, Party chief of Shangang village in Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, has made important contributions to the village's agricultural development and growth of residents' incomes.

Ge, who has been devoted to developing modern organic farms in the village, had invited Zhao Yafu, an agricultural specialist, to provide guidance on the matter and organized Party members and villagers to perform preparatory work, such as leveling the land and dredging the rivers and irrigation ditches.

Shangang village now has more than 3,500 mu (233.33 hectares) of farmland where over 200 varieties of crops are grown. It has also built eight plantations to produce vegetables, rice, strawberries, figs and other products, said Ge.

The 380-mu vegetable farm, which can yield about two metric tons of leafy vegetables every day, will be expanded by 300 mu in the near future, according to Zhang Xinghong, deputy general manager of Shangang Ecological Agriculture Technology Co.

Due to Ge's efforts, the village boasts collective properties worth 25 million yuan ($3.72 million) and its per capita annual income has grown to 48,000 yuan. About 300 locals have managed to find employment in the village.

Ge has been also working to promote the integrated development of agriculture and tourism. Shangang village has since 2017 built a number of touristy gardens, where people can pick fruits and experience life in the countryside.