In Yunnan Province, Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Va Autonomous Countyis home to the largest avocado planting base in China, earning itself the title of the "Capital of Avocado in China". A young farmer from the post-90s generation, Li Wei—affectionately known as "Da Meng"—is pursuing his dreams with avocados in this land at the China-Myanmar border.

Once a travel experiencer and a public welfare photographer, this youngster of Yunnan's Hani ethnic group, Da Meng, has visited over 30 countries, capturing the unique cultures and landscapes of diverse places with his lens. In 2020, the pandemic urged him back to his hometown in Yunnan. Upon arriving in Menglian, he was deeply captivated by the local ethnic culture and natural scenery, which brought him a familiar sense of belonging. "Walking barefoot on the earth feels like reliving my childhood memories of running along the fields."

After settling in Menglian, Da Meng began documenting local life through photography, creating works such as "A girl from Wa ethic group and her avocado" and "Spring in the Ears", which won multiple awards and appeared in international publications. His lens revealed a vibrant Menglian: grandmother from Wa ethic group adorned with purple flower earrings, children frolicking in the fields, with avocados and bananas serving as creative"fashion props." His works are even showcased in Shanghai subways and Kunming airport, attracting more attention to Menglian.

In 2021, Da Meng shifted his career to agriculture, planting his first batch of avocado seedlings and launching the brand "Avocadopia". Despite having no prior planting experience, he gradually mastered the techniques through self-study and practice, while promoting scientific principles to villagers, encouraging them to jointly develop the avocado industry. Today, the area he manages has expanded from the initial 4 acres to 49 acres, and he also collaborates with villagers to manage an additional 82 acres.

"Starting a business is a process of self-competition," Da Meng candidly admitted, stating that his biggest challenge is to overcome psychological barriers rather than external setbacks. Throughout the planting process, he adheres to environmentally friendly and community-friendly practices, explores three-dimensional agriculture and proposes the concept of "avocados and their friends," to inject new vitality into Menglian's agriculture through diversified planting models.

In his view, the spirit of"new farmers" lies in cross-industry collaboration and innovation. He promotes avocado products through e-commerce platforms, enabling more people to recognize the specialties of Menglian. He believes that agriculture is not only about traditional labor but also requires modern business concepts. "Every day, just striving to do well in what I do to sustain me and my family, while also helping more farmers increase their income—that is my goal."

Source: Lingnan on the Cloud

他用镜头和牛油果让孟连被看见

在云南孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县是我国最大的牛油果种植基地，被誉为“国产牛油果第一县”。90后农场主李伟——大称“大萌”，正以牛油果为伴，在这片中缅边境的土地上追逐梦想。

曾是旅行体验师和公益摄影师的云南哈尼族小伙大萌，走访过30多个国家，用镜头记录不同地方的风土人情。2020年，疫情让他回到家乡云南。初到孟连，他被这里的少数民族文化和自然风光深深吸引，找到一种熟悉的归属感，“光脚踩在大地上，就像回到小时候在田埂上奔跑的记忆。”

扎根孟连后，大萌用摄影记录当地生活，创作了《佤族少女和她的牛油果》《耳朵里的春天》等作品，多次获奖并登上国际刊物。他镜头下的孟连生机勃勃：佤族阿婆戴着紫色鲜花耳坠，孩子们在田间嬉戏，牛油果和香蕉被创意化为“时尚道具”。他的作品还亮相上海地铁和昆明机场，为孟连吸引了更多关注。

2021年，大萌转型农业，种下第一批牛油果苗，创立品牌“牛友果星球”。尽管毫无种植经验，他通过自学和实践，逐渐掌握技术，同时推广科学理念，并带动村民共同发展牛油果产业。如今，他自营的种植面积从最初的23亩扩大到300亩，还与村民合作管理500亩土地。

“创业是和自己较劲的过程。”大萌坦言，最大的挑战是突破心理障碍，而非外部条件。在种植过程中，他坚持环境友好、村民友好，探索立体农业，提出“牛油果和它的朋友们”的概念，推广多样化种植模式，为孟连农业注入新活力。

在他看来，“新农人”的“新”在于跨界与创新。他通过电商平台推广牛油果产品，让更多人认识孟连特产。他认为农业不仅是传统劳作，更需要现代化的经营理念。“每天把当下的事情做好，养活自己和家人，同时帮助更多农民增收，这就是我的目标。”

文｜记者 谭洁文 实习生庄嘉怡
译 | 洪婷
英文审校｜赵凡