Participants of the training course on Juncao technology take group photo at Bula Agro Juncao Technology Demonstration Base in Fiji, Feb. 28. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

The river bank at Bula Agro Juncao Technology Demonstration Base in Fiji is covered with Juncao, a kind of fungi or grass that can prevent and control soil erosion, feed livestock and grow mushrooms.

Juncao was invented in the 1980s by Lin Zhanxi, a professor at China's Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, who is also devoted to promoting Juncao technology to Pacific Island countries through bilateral agricultural cooperation.

The roots, stems and leaves of Juncao can absorb soil salt, and effectively improve the conditions of saline-alkali land, providing a new solution for the treatment of soil erosion and coastal saline-alkali land in Pacific Island countries.

Recently, Lin was involved in a training course of 35 participants from 11 Pacific Island countries, such as Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Nauru, attended a seven-day training on Juncao technology.

Participant Daniel Mataroa, from the Cook Islands, was amazed by the “magic grass,” saying it can improve the ecological environment and land productivity.

Applying this technology, the group planted mushrooms on the first day of training, using juncao as a medium, and saw the mushrooms grow within a week. “It is easy to learn, even elderly people and children can participate in the mushroom farming to increase family income,” said Mataroa.

During training, Lin said that he expected a wider application of Juncao technology through this course, so that it can benefit Pacific Island countries.

Since the China-Fiji Juncao Technology Cooperation Project launched in 2014, around 2,400 participants have been trained, with more than 2,000 hectares of Juncao grass planted in the country, according to Fijian agriculture official Tekini Nakidakida. "It is indeed a tool that will alleviate poverty and create a sustainable environment for everyone," said Nakidakida.