In 1993, Munkbayar and his family contracted over 4,000 mu (about 267 hectares) of land to control the desert in Alxa Left Banner of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Twenty-seven years later, the sandy land has turned into an oasis thanks to Munkbayar and his family's forestation efforts. Munkbayar and his family also get benefited from fighting against the desert. Now he is able to earn a yearly income of about 400,000 to 500,000 yuan (about 57,166 to 71,458 U.S. dollars) by growing cistanche and cynomorium, two parasitic desert plants that are often used in traditional Chinese medicine. Motivated by Munkbayar's success, more and more locals have joined the desertification control and forestation work. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)
Munkbayar(R), his wife and grandson are silhouetted against sunset on their way home after a day's work in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)
Munkbayar (R) picks cucumbers with his wife at their vegetable garden in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)
Munkbayar checks a dried cistanche at a warehouse in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)
Munkbayar reaps alfalfa in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)
Munkbayar (L) harvests a ripe cistanche with his wife in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2020 shows Munkbayar(L), his wife and grandson walking on their land in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
Munkbayar(Front) and his wife reap alfalfa in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)
Munkbayar (R) and his wife plant cynomorium in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
Munkbayar prepares to plant cynomorium in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 7, 2020.(Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2020 shows Munkbayar riding to plant cynomorium in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
