[All] organic farming in China

[Susan Koswan]

Thought some of you might find this interesting. 

Susan K

 

Chinese Urbanites Bring Organic Farming to the Countryside

 

(Beyond Pesticides, November 8, 2010) After numerous scandals involving
China's industrialized food supply, a new movement is afoot in the world's
most populous nation toward local, organic, and sustainable food. According
to a promising Washington Post report, "Young Chinese farmers sowing seeds
for organic revolution," many of the organic farmers working to meet the
growing demand are urban professionals seeking an escape from fast paced
city life.

 

The overuse of pesticides in industrialized agriculture has created numerous
problems for people and the environment. Pesticide use has been linked to
many diseases including numerous types of cancer, Parkinson's, and learning
disabilities. In addition pesticides are also dangerous to wildlife.
Pesticides often kill non-target organisms that may be beneficial to
farmers, such as predatory insects.

 

Organic agriculture is an ecological approach to farming that does not rely
on or permit toxic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, genetically modified
organisms, antibiotics, sewage sludge, or irradiation.

Instead of using these harmful products and practices, organic agriculture
utilizes techniques such as cover cropping, crop rotation, and composting to
produce healthy soil, prevent pest and disease problems, and grow healthy
food and fiber.

 

Just as in the United States, demand for local and organic food is growing
in China, and organic agriculture in China faces a unique set of challenges.
For centuries, farming in China was viewed as work for impoverished
peasants. Despite the fact that under Chairman Mao Zedong, farming was
elevated to a noble profession, today it is once again considered one of the
worst jobs in the country. When Shen Hui and her husband Chen Shuaijun
decided to start farming, they were ridiculed by their neighbors and were
furious to hear of their son's plan to quit his job in the Shanghai banking
sector to return to farming. Once they started the farm, things didn't get
much easier.

Mr. Chen insisted on farming without any chemical pesticides or fertilizer,
and many people scoffed at their methods. The work is incredibly physically
demanding for the couple, and making things more difficult, since the farm
has not turned a profit, the two still maintain their office jobs.

 

Several organic farmers in China also find it a challenge to deal with
rampant pollution. While organic farmers do not rely on synthetic chemical
fertilizers or pesticides, their soil or water supply may be laced with all
kinds of pollutants. A government report found pollution makes 43 percent of
state monitored rivers are unsuitable for human contact.

 

Marketing organic crops is another difficulty in China. Regulation of
organic certification is weak at best and farmers say some agencies will
certify anything for a price. As a result many organic growers don't bother
to certify their products, and instead just call them natural. The
regulatory aspect of this is a huge issue, particularly in light of recent
scandals with the food supply that have left many around the globe concerned
about the safety of their food. In 2008, over 1200 babies became sick from
milk powder formulated with the cheap industrial compound melamine. Other
scandals involved vegetables infected with dangerous bacteria, fish poisoned
by pollution, and cooking oil tainted with sewage.

 

Despite the difficulties of organic, farmers have plenty of reasons to be
persistent. For organic grower Shen Hui the biggest draw of farming was the
food safety: she wanted to know where her food came from, and what went into
it. Organic food is also a luxury trend. China's new super-rich consume
organic food, because it has become a status symbol. Shen Hui and Chen
Shuaijun also state that the simple joys of escaping city life and eating
the produce they grow outweigh the challenges.

 

Source: The Washington Post

 

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/

 

 

pareto2080: The Return of Pareto

by Susan Koswan

Treehuggers. 

The 80/20 Rule. 

One long weekend... 

 <http://www.volumesdirect.com> www.volumesdirect.com or
<mailto:dandelion at gto.net> dandelion at gto.net 

In Waterloo Region bookstores and libraries. Now on Kindle!
<http://www.amazon.com> www.amazon.com

 

 

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