Big data benefits epidemic control and poverty alleviation in Guiyang, China

GUIZHOU, China, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- YanZeng is a teacher at Guiyang Anjing School. In recent months, her daily routine is checking her students' physical condition and reporting to the local big data platform.

Yan Zeng's experience demonstrates the big data platform for epidemic control find a way to connect any random pubic school in Guizhou. Guizhou, which was once regarded as a less developed province located in the hinterland of Southwest China, has made great efforts to boost the big data industry and claimed to be known as China's "Big Data Valley" in recent years. Given the big brunt of this COVID-19 epidemic, how can Guizhou better control its spread and complete the goal of lifting all people out of poverty in 2020? The doubt brought reporters of Huanqiu.com to Guizhou with the hope of finding an answer.

For the sake of tackling COVID-19, Guiyang Education Bureau constructs an epidemic control big data system. The platform integrates data clusters of 1,935 local schools, ensuring the authorities grasp the overall situation in real time.

"In the past, filling out an online form could be a means of information collection. It requires a large number of manual efforts, hence causing the delay," Li Wei, a chief of Guiyang Education Bureau told Huanqiu.com.

Ms Li added, "By comparison, based on large-scale data gathered through the mobile terminal, we can instantly track the movements of students and identify the potentially infected individuals. The real-time feedback enables health-care workers to efficiently plan pandemic prevention efforts."

In order to make the latest trends of COVID-19 digitally available, Guiyang Big Data Bureau collaborates with mobile network operators in sending reminder messages to the public.

"Be alert for symptoms. Please watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19," Anxian Liao, a citizen read a message to the journalist of Huanqiu.com. "Thanks to these care tips, we can get a full picture of the infection control and collectively combat the virus."

According to Health Commission of Guizhou Province, as of June 28, Guiyang has reported 36 confirmed cases. The province has reported 147 confirmed cases, including 145 cured cases and 2 dead cases. Locally confirmed cases have been cleared for 105 consecutive days, and the spread of infection in the province has been basically blocked.

The number of confirmed cases per million population in the province is 3.25, which is the third lowest in China. The authorities including National Health Commission have highly praised Guizhou for the effective pandemic control.

In addition to the epidemic control of COVID-19, poverty alleviation is the other vital mission Guiyang is undertaking. According to the national policy, 2020 marks China's deadline for eradicating poverty in rural areas and eliminating regional poverty.

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has posed challenges for poverty alleviation. Many production sites close to reduce possible contact between individuals, thus impeding the socio-economic progress. However, as President Xi promises, China must achieve the goal of poverty alleviation as planned.

In response to the national policy, Guiyang actively shoulders the responsibility for poverty eradication against all odds. As the Big Data Valley of China, Guiyang also derives insights from big data to lift the socially deprived out of poverty.

Yunshanchahai Tea Garden is a case in point. Located in Matou Village, Guiyang, it utilizes a data-driven system to boost productivity and profitability. The ensuing revenue growth has hauled more and more local peasants out of poverty.

Yang Changyu is deputy general manager of Guizhou Qinglanzi Selenium Rich Tea Co., Ltd. "We have installed IoT devices on a farm, aggregating data collection of factors like temperature, humidity and wind speed," shared by him to Huanqiu.com.

This big data system also transmits data to Kaiyang IoT Information Platform, which provides personalized agricultural guidance and remote expert support services for farmers. Therefore, every potential obstacle can now be foreseen, along with appropriate solutions and expected results as well.

Mr Yang added, "Under the guidance of this system, we have constructed drainage channels and increased the use of organic fertilizers during the past half of month. In this way, we can fully prepare for the recent rainy days, ensuring the possible damage to tea is diminished to a minimum."

Thanks to the data-driven platform, Yunshanchahai tea garden can monitor the field conditions, avoid losses caused by disruptive natural events and maximize the harvests. According to Mr Yang, after leveraging the big data system, the output value of tea can be at least doubled.

It notes that data science not only can save the harvest but also a large number of revenues to the peasants. Owing to the improvement of rural livelihoods, this model drives greater efficiency in poverty-reduction programs.

In recent years, Guiyang advocates the application of big data to agriculture and pilots the deployment of IoT. To pave the way for smart agriculture, the government takes pains to build e-commerce platforms, improve the communication infrastructure and expand the talent pool.

According to Xinhua News Agency, in 2019, the disposable income per capita of rural residents has exceeded 10,000 yuan (1414 US dollars) in Guizhou, with the expected growth rate of 10.5%.

During the second half-year period in 2020, the due day of China's poverty alleviation is around the corner. On the way to combating poverty, China is also meeting the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19. Armed with big data, Guiyang must win the two battles of the epidemic control and poverty alleviation.

SOURCE Huanqiu.com