by Xinhua writers Zhang Shuhui, Qi Zijian, Liu Xiaoyu
YAREN, Nauru, May 21 (Xinhua) -- At 9 a.m., inside a container-based hydroponic plant factory built with Chinese assistance in the Pacific island nation of Nauru, workers skillfully harvested rows of fresh green lettuce and neatly packed them into baskets. Thirty minutes later, 15 kilograms of vegetables were ready for delivery.
At 10:18 a.m., the vegetables, repackaged into 15 bags bearing the national flags of China and Nauru, were placed on the shelves of Eigigu Supermarket, a local grocery store.
At 10:20 a.m., Estar, a local housewife, added one of the bags to her shopping cart.
From harvest to purchase, the entire process had taken just 1 hour and 20 minutes.
"This is the second time I've bought these locally grown vegetables," Estar said. "They are fresh, healthy and cheaper than imported ones."
Nauru is a small coral island nation with a land area of only 21 square kilometers. Due to limited arable land and poor soil conditions, most fresh vegetables have traditionally been imported by air. Long transport times and high costs of imported produce have posed challenges for residents, contributing to dietary imbalances and high obesity rates.
The plant factory was built with assistance from Jiangmen Agricultural Holdings Group in south China's Guangdong Province. According to project manager Su Yuanhong, the facility produced its first batch of vegetables in November last year.
The project currently operates two container cultivation units, supplying fresh vegetables to local supermarkets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
"Chinese hydroponic technology is not constrained by land or climate conditions," Su said. "It is also water-saving, highly efficient and well-suited to island countries like Nauru."
David Aingimea, chief executive officer of Eigigu Holdings Corporation, which operates the local supermarket, said the project has enabled Nauru to achieve stable local production of fresh vegetables.
"We don't have enough of it. It just comes in and immediately it's gone. I had to raise myself in order to get one packet the other day," he said. "That's how popular it is."
Aingimea added that he hopes the project can be expanded in the future to provide a greater variety of vegetables for local residents.
As night fell over the island after a day of tropical heat, cool sea breezes swept across the coastal road in Nauru's Anibare district. Newly installed solar-powered streetlights illuminated the roadway one after another.
The lamp posts, decorated with giant panda designs and marked with the words "China" and "Guangdong Jiangmen," are part of a donation of nearly 500 solar streetlights provided by China across the island.
Anthony Dimapilis, chief executive officer of Nauru Utilities Corporation, said the project has benefited residents by improving safety and making it easier for people to move around.
"Before that, there were actually limited lighting around secluded areas," he said. "It does make a big difference to the people of Nauru."
Chinese Ambassador to Nauru Lyu Jin said the solar streetlight and hydroponic cultivation projects directly address practical needs in local communities, starting from the specific problems at the "doorsteps" and "dining tables."
"They have made the outcomes of cooperation visible, tangible and beneficial to the people," Lyu said. "They have improved living conditions and enhanced people's sense of gain, security and happiness."
"This is a vivid example of the concept of 'small and beautiful' livelihood-improving cooperation under the Belt and Road framework," he said.
A single purchase
