[Recommended Reading] A Gentleman Focuses on the Fundamentals—Becoming a Respected Professional in the Agricultural Inputs Industry

Confucius said: The superior man attends to the root; when the root is established, the Way springs forth.

The noble person should devote himself wholeheartedly to the fundamental matters; when the fundamentals are firmly established, the Way will naturally arise.

Like most people in the world, Liu Feng has at times felt lost and restless. After getting involved in the agricultural inputs sector and joining Nongda Fertilizer, he says he has found the true “essence” of his life: to become a respected professional in the agricultural industry.

Marketing is customer-value driven.

The product is based on land crops.

Dealers prioritize serving farmers.

In this way, has each person not found their own “true nature”?

Let us follow the inner journey of Teacher Liu Feng from Nongda Fertilizer Industry and together seek the “root” of our lives!

After graduating from school, I have been running a business in my hometown—Xiliangfu Village, Fangcun Town—selling agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, seedlings, and greenhouse materials.

Back then, in order to sell the agency’s products more effectively, I diligently studied fertilizer science, pesticide knowledge, and crop pest‑and‑disease management techniques, striving to become a “local expert.” The goal was simple: boost sales and prevent farmers from finding fault or acting unscrupulously—using science and technology as my own shield.

After more than a decade of hard work, I’ve accumulated considerable experience—learning how to engage with the local community, how to market our products more effectively, and how to help farmers tackle agricultural challenges. Of course, I’ve also built up a solid financial foundation, enabling my family to live a comfortable and fulfilling life.

By sheer chance, I had the privilege of meeting Ma Xuewen, Chairman and General Manager of Nongda Fertilizer. One simple sentence he uttered left an indelible mark on my heart and inspired me: “On the basis of pursuing personal economic interests, we must strive to better realize our social value.”

Truly, hearing your words has been worth more than ten years of study. I’ve come to realize that all the hard work I put in over the past decade or so was ultimately meaningless. With resolute determination, I chose to join Nongda Fertilizer Industry. During my six months in the agrochemical services department there, I gained a wealth of knowledge and now dream of putting what I’ve learned to practical use—making a real, tangible difference for the local people.

Here, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to President Ma for his trust and support, and for providing me with a platform—a stage on which I can realize my full potential.

Once again, by sheer chance, I came across the corporate vision of Henan Yuyi Seed Industry: “May the world enjoy favorable weather and bountiful harvests, and may all people live in peace and safety.” It was as if a bucket of cool, enlightening water had been poured over my head—I finally found the broad, straight path to realizing my own life’s worth. “May” is a heartfelt aspiration, a well-wishing, a prayer for blessings—a kind wish and earnest hope for all beings under heaven. “Heaven,” lofty and supreme, endlessly sends forth clouds and showers to nourish all things; we have always cherished a deep sense of reverence for nature and a grateful heart toward it.

“May the winds and rains be justly balanced throughout the land” is not only a blessing for our farming friends, but also a steadfast pursuit of the profound truth that “a stable agriculture ensures national peace, and secure grain supplies bring stability to the world.” It is, moreover, the social responsibility of the Nongda Fertilizer team—to courageously rise to challenges and continuously produce higher‑quality humic acids and superior compound fertilizers, thereby enriching the people and strengthening the nation. In harmony with nature’s ways, we earnestly hope for favorable weather and bountiful harvests across the land.

“Be a good person, and you will live in peace throughout your life,” carries two layers of meaning: “be a good person” and “do good deeds.” To “be a good person,” the emphasis is on “doing well”—a rigorous self‑discipline that demands strict adherence to moral standards and sound values, refraining from wrongdoing and avoiding becoming a bad person; this focuses on one’s character. To “do good deeds,” the focus lies on being a good person—kind, compassionate, responsible, and grateful. Being a good person is both the fundamental ethical principle guiding conduct at Nongda University and a standard of modern civilization expected of every citizen. And the saying, “Be a good person, and you will live in peace throughout your life,” reflects the heartfelt aspiration of all kind‑hearted people in a harmonious society—a blessing offered by good people to one another.

During outreach efforts that brought us into villages and households, I keenly observed a profound lack of knowledge among farmers—whether it concerns the nutritional balance of soil, fertilizers, crops, and water; basic methods for preventing and controlling crop diseases and pests; or how to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit fertilizers. By and large, most farmers could be described as “ignorant” in these areas. Of course, there are a small number of seasoned practitioners, but the vast majority tend to focus solely on their own fields, fearing that if others’ crops thrive, their own produce will fetch lower prices. As a result, with little communication, learning, or guidance, most farmers continue to follow a mindset of “agricultural work doesn’t need to be learned—we just do what everyone else does,” rather than tailoring their practices to the specific needs of their crops and local conditions.

Last night, I gave a lecture in Xiamacun Village, Mazhuang Town, which made me keenly aware of the responsibility and mission borne by those who disseminate agricultural chemical knowledge.

At 5:20 p.m., the village accountant announced over the village loudspeaker that at 6:00 p.m., a professor from the Agricultural University would be visiting to deliver a technical lecture on the prevention and control of clubroot disease in broccoli. Before 6:00, local farmers began arriving at the village committee office, eager to secure good seats so they could listen carefully—otherwise, they said, they wouldn’t dare plant broccoli next year.

I showed the promotional video, and the lecture began at 6:30. By then, the village committee’s study room was already packed, with many more people standing in the hallway outside. The session ran from 6:30 until after 8:00, and not a single person left—everyone listened intently.

After finishing my lecture, I told everyone to jot down my cell phone number so they could call me anytime. Everyone pulled out their phones and wrote it down, and a few older gentlemen even asked the person sitting next to them to help record it for them. As we were packing up our equipment, several more men stayed behind to ask a few questions. Before I’d even gotten home, a handful of large-scale farmers had already added me on WeChat, saying they wanted to thank me for the talk they’d attended.

To be honest, I couldn’t sleep that night and kept thinking. From the moment I graduated, I reflected on why I opened an agricultural‑supplies store back home, why I joined Nongda Fertilizer Company, and also on the farmers who grow crops—thoughts kept swirling through my mind, leaving me wide awake for a long time.

Seeing the common people toiling under the sun, their faces turned to the earth and their backs to the sky, yet undaunted by hardship and eager for knowledge, I feel that I should—and must—study agricultural chemistry diligently, so that I can serve them better, helping them invest less while reaping greater returns.

I will also join forces with Nongda Fertilizer to help more farmers access higher‑quality fertilizers. We are committed not only to innovating and promoting cutting‑edge products and advanced farming techniques, thereby boosting crop yields and quality and increasing farmers’ incomes, but also to working alongside them to achieve a harmonious balance of nutrients in crops, soil, and water. In doing so, we aim to contribute to the modernization of Chinese agriculture, rural development, and farmers’ prosperity, and to become respected professionals in the agricultural inputs sector.