Beyond Textbooks: How to Run a Hands-On Agricultural Training Programme?
Foodthink Says
In his efforts to put this hands-on approach into practice, Lao Liu has undertaken numerous initiatives. Previously, he and his partner, senior agricultural technician Luo Lishuang, collaborated on a series of eco-agriculture training programmes in Guangxi, gradually building a dedicated cohort of fellow ecological farmers.
After years spent working alongside these ecological farmers in Guangxi, what insights has Lao Liu gained about their journey? And what advice does he offer to newcomers looking to get involved in eco-agriculture?
This article has been adapted from an episode of the “Food Talk” podcast and has been slightly edited for readability. Readers interested in the full discussion can click the image belowto listen to the podcast episode.
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Foodthink will also be hosting a three-day “Eco-Agriculture: Local System Co-Creation and Collaborative Learning Programme” from 2 to 4 December this year, taking place on the outskirts of Guangzhou. Lao Liu and teacher Luo Lishuang will be joined by two ecological farmers serving as peer instructors. Registration and bursary applications close this Sunday, 24 November. Interested readers can click the poster below for full details.
I. A Dialogue Between Two Knowledge Systems
Local experience and wisdom, unconstrained by text, can be transmitted through non-textual systems, preserving their integrity remarkably well. Why is it that certain ethnic minority groups today retain more of this rural wisdom? It is precisely because the operation of their non-textual systems has been less encroached upon by textual frameworks. Yet, once the everyday foundations that sustain this system of transmission vanish, it becomes exceedingly difficult to speak of cultural preservation or to attempt reawakening those traditions.
The underlying logic of the modern scientific system is specialisation, growing ever more fragmented. You study a certain discipline and do exactly that job; the goal is to produce cogs in a machine, not to cultivate whole human beings. Not long ago, I watched a video featuring a master’s student who explained that his senior colleague in the laboratory could not properly classify all the microorganisms in the soil, and consequently cast doubt on whether the microbial fertilisers made by farmers were scientifically sound. This illustrates how narrowly focused the mindset fostered by such a system can become. Ecological agriculture, by contrast, demands holistic knowledge; the myriad situations that can arise in farming simply cannot be reduced to specific data points.
This is not to suggest that textual systems are unnecessary, but rather that we must seek pathways to bridge the two systems.
Therefore, we later adjusted our approach to ecological agriculture training. We wanted to test whether we could accumulate experience through “teaching by word and example”, forging an alternative path by nurturing a system of transmission within a small, dedicated group. Once this foundational step is firmly in place, we can gradually explore how to weave local experience back into written records.
II. Ecological and Conventional Agriculture
Winning the farmers’ trust is paramount. They need to feel that what the instructor is saying is credible and within their capability to put into practice; only then will they be willing to hear what comes next. Only at that point can training aim to truly expand their horizons and shift their mindset.
Naturally, training alone does not guarantee that everyone will stick with ecological farming once it ends; practical hurdles remain. The foremost challenge is market access.
What should the price point for ecological produce be? Who constitutes the target market? A widely held assumption among many in the sector is that ecological farming inherently carries higher costs and therefore commands premium prices. Consequently, conversations often revolve around whether urban consumers can afford it.
Yet, when applied correctly, ecological farming can keep costs under control and remain price-competitive. For instance, some farming peers in Guangxi have begun selling their produce directly in local county towns. There is no need to target major metropolitan areas or demand exorbitant prices; by pricing their goods only marginally above conventional alternatives, they still hold a distinct competitive edge locally.
As my partner Luo Lishuang puts it: we turned to ecological farming because it is simply the more advantageous way of producing.
When I first began practising ecological agriculture, I was driven by a strong sense of mission, convinced it was the only viable path for farming. Over the years, conversations with fellow growers have revealed that many share this same deep-seated conviction. But now I believe that clinging too tightly to this mindset is counterproductive. Ecological and conventional agriculture should not be treated as irreconcilable foes locked in a fight to the death. The foundational principles of farming are inherently shared. Whether you follow ecological or conventional methods, you must pay close attention to soil conditions, biological traits, and the factors that trigger pests and diseases. These are core areas for farmers on either path to study, rather than simply stating, “I don’t use pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, or herbicides,” and neglecting everything else.
Farming requires more than just manual labour; it demands learning, reflection, critical thinking, and the gradual accumulation of knowledge.
Too often, growers face challenges without thinking them through. For example, after attending a technical session on making compost or fermented plant extracts, they simply go home and replicate the steps. But why make compost or extracts? When should they be applied? Some growers don’t look deeper; they just go through the motions. They fail to internalise the underlying principles or assess their own circumstances: What is the actual condition of the crops? How is the soil? What kind of ecological balance do I need to achieve over the coming years of production?
Therefore, our previous training programmes aimed to instil a key idea among growers: attending to learn is about achieving independent breakthroughs in farming technique. It isn’t enough to simply take notes and copy the methods; you must return to your own farm, observe, reflect, and continue your own learning journey.
III. A New Generation of Farmers: Can Both Body and Mind Truly Return to the Countryside?
When a farm is treated merely as a business or a startup project, detached from the realities of daily living and practical production, newcomers often find themselves caught in a state of body-and-soul disconnection.
When these “new farmers” return to the countryside, do they have a clear sense of direction and a solid plan? Or are they perpetually preparing to abandon farming for a more lucrative industry elsewhere? Put simply: the body may have returned home, but has the heart truly come back? This is a delicate matter; subconscious motivations inevitably shape our decisions.
When the heart is truly invested, the way one values agriculture shifts entirely. Some farmers have remarkably clear objectives: for instance, farming on the outskirts of a small town or within a village, aiming for a modest annual surplus of 40,000 yuan. Planning production around this target—deciding what crops to grow and in what quantities—brings a sense of calm rather than crushing pressure.
Conversely, if the heart hasn’t settled, your vision of the future remains tethered to conventional notions of success and prosperity. I once spoke to someone who aimed to earn 8,000 yuan a month, yet expected to generate that entire income from just half an acre of land. When you value your own labour through a purely commercial lens, you are forced to structure your farm’s production around the same capitalist logic. But the land itself cannot always meet those financial expectations.
Back in 2012, while running the “Da Pinghuo” community canteen in Chongqing, I had conversations with our partner farmers about this exact issue. I explained that ecological agriculture is about living alongside production, not manufacturing at a factory scale. The key questions are: how much capital do you actually need to sustain yourself, and how much can you realistically earn? Planning production around those answers requires a holistic approach.
Today, these new farmers also confront the “new three major burdens”: pensions, childcare, and healthcare. Yet the challenges facing agriculture and rural communities have never been issues that can be solved within the farming sector alone. Placing the entire weight of these pressures squarely on farmers is fundamentally unfair. Expecting ecological agriculture to single-handedly resolve issues like children’s education merely shifts the burden onto production itself, turning farming into a source of stress rather than fulfilment.
Will rural development continue to advance, or will it retreat? I am not an economist, and I cannot predict the outcome with certainty.
This summer, I visited Zhejiang and Shanghai, where I encountered rural landscapes completely different from those in Guangxi. Meanwhile, Guangxi is showing early signs of new villagers and social entrepreneurs joining local communities. These emerging trends are certainly possible, but they will take considerable time to mature. Urban dwellers looking to change their life trajectory often lack farming skills when they arrive in the countryside. This gap creates new local needs and opens up space for collaboration, potentially reigniting the vitality of rural villages.
As we explore ecological agriculture today, our discussions must go beyond technical know-how. We need to reflect more deeply on the personal, familial, and societal dimensions of this work. While most farmers are currently focused on meeting basic survival needs, that doesn’t prevent us from looking further ahead and planting the seeds for future change.
The small-scale ecological farmers who currently possess a clear sense of purpose are thriving, proving that this path is viable. They are also beginning to consider how to gradually attract more people to the countryside and guide them towards ecological farming.
I often tell former colleagues that our work is an investment in the future, even if the results aren’t immediately visible. Much like our past conversations about preserving heritage crop varieties—which initially fell on deaf ears—these issues will only grow in significance. The seeds we plant today may take twenty or thirty years to truly take root and flourish.
