A villager from Vombudangsang township, Ge'gyai county, Ngari prefecture of Xizang autonomous region, works at an artificial grassland site on July 20. [Photo by Mo Jingxi/chinadaily.com.cn]

In a remote corner of the Tibetan Plateau, a bold agricultural experiment is turning barren desert into productive pasture — and delivering a financial lifeline to hundreds of herding families.

In Ge'gyai county, Ngari prefecture of Xizang autonomous region, a man-made grassland project is reshaping the rural economy. Villagers, aided by state funding, have carved out more than 200 hectares of irrigated pasture in one of the most inhospitable parts of Xizang, generating both green cover and green income.

Lhakpa Ngodrub, head of Vombudangsang township, said the artificial grassland has significantly eased winter feed shortages, helping reduce pressure on the region's natural pastures.

"It also improves soil quality, curbs desertification, and conserves water resources, contributing to the sustainable development of our local ecosystem," Ngodrub said.

The initiative is part of a broader government-led effort to boost local incomes — especially among nomadic herdsmen — by diversifying income sources. Villagers have transformed once desolate desert into a green oasis through soil improvement, irrigation canal construction, and land leveling.

By 2024, a total of 239 hectares of artificial grassland had been cultivated, generating 2.29 million yuan ($314,000) in revenue. The project has benefited more than 800 residents from nearly 250 households, with an extra income of 2,851.9 yuan per capita.

The canal system built with the support of national funding has greatly improved the irrigation efficiency. [Photo by Mo Jingxi/chinadaily.com.cn]

Tsering Drukyi, a 28-year-old local driver from the village, said his family — along with his parents and older brother — leased 300 to 400 mu of land back in 2016. The initiative, he said, has brought his family an additional annual income exceeding 30,000 yuan.

"Every year from May to June, we plant the grass seeds, irrigate them regularly using the canal system, and clear away stones," he said. "By October, the grass grows over a meter tall, and we harvest it."

According to Drukyi, his family keeps a portion of the dry grass to feed their own sheep through the winter, and sell the remainder.

Located on the western edge of the Tibetan Plateau at an average altitude of over 4,500 meters, Ngari is often called "the roof on the roof of the world".

Drukyi recalled that the first year of planting was the most difficult due to the rocky, gravel-covered ground. "But as the soil improved year by year, planting became much easier," he said.

Looking ahead, Ngodrub, the township head, said the township plans to expand the artificial planting area and improve the quality of grass. "We're also exploring ways to integrate grass planting with livestock husbandry, eco-tourism, and other sectors to maximize its ecological, economic, and social benefits," he said.