Xiangshan's move to help low-income farmers from other parts of the country shed poverty by breeding geese has proved to be effective.

The 2,000 white geese introduced from the county in Ningbo to Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan province in August have generated an additional income of nearly 60,000 yuan ($9,230.7) for local farmers, local authorities said.

The flock of geese is being raised under apple trees and their feces are used as fertilizer for the fruit trees, according to Song Lang, a representative of Xichang Huannong Poultry Co Ltd in Liangshan.

In addition, grass beneath the trees have also been eliminated by the geese, resulting in a drop in weeding costs.

Xiangshan white geese primarily refer to geese raised in 15 towns in Xiangshan county. The birds usually have white feathers, orange-yellow shins, jade white claws and a medium-sized, well-balanced body.

They have been introduced to 13 provinces across the nation to date, helping more than 2,000 farmers grow their incomes.

In April, Ningbo was paired with Liangshan under the east-west poverty relief program by the central government, which sees more prosperous provinces and municipalities in East China lend support to underdeveloped regions in the country.