Beyond the Books: How to Lead Agricultural Training by Example

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Foodthink Insights

What kind of agricultural training do farmers actually need? Lao Liu (Huang Guoliang), who has spent nearly 20 years working in rural communities across China, has some thoughts on the matter. In his view, to understand agricultural training, one must first address the question of what kind of knowledge system farmers require. Despite his own background in agronomy, he believes that the scientific systems taught in schools are not necessarily applicable to the challenges faced by farmers and rural communities. Instead, “teaching by example”—a system of passing on knowledge through practice and mentorship—is often the primary way farmers learn, yet it is frequently overlooked.

To put this approach into practice, Lao Liu has conducted numerous experiments. Previously, he and his partner, senior agricultural technician Luo Lishuang, collaborated on several ecological agriculture training programmes in Guangxi, building a community of ecological farming practitioners.

After spending many years supporting these ecological farmers in Guangxi, what observations has Lao Liu made? And what advice does he have for new farmers venturing into ecological agriculture?

This article is adapted from the “Food Talk” podcast, with some edits. Interested readers can click the image below to listen to this episode.

– Scan to listen –

From 2–4 December, Foodthink will invite Lao Liu, Mr Luo Lishuang, and two ecological farmers acting as “junior teachers” to host a three-day “Ecological Agriculture Local System Co-creation and Co-learning Camp” on the outskirts of Guangzhou. Applications for registration and scholarships close this Sunday, 24 November; interested readers can click the poster for further details.

I. A Dialogue Between Two Knowledge Systems

Since various schools of thought and concepts of ecological agriculture were introduced to China, we have conducted numerous training sessions attempting to teach farmers a specific methodology for farming. However, we found that these programmes struggle to take root locally. One reason is that the transmission of experiential knowledge in rural societies and the transmission of modern knowledge are two distinct systems. Modern knowledge is transmitted via text and recorded in books. In rural societies, however, knowledge is not necessarily passed down through writing, but rather through learning by example. While the current modern knowledge system is a highly sophisticated professional framework, it still cannot fully address the practical realities of rural life.

Rural experience and wisdom not transmitted through text can be passed down completely through non-textual systems. This explains why some ethnic minorities still retain more of this indigenous rural wisdom; the operation of non-textual systems is less influenced by textual ones. However, once the practical foundations of such a transmission system vanish, discussing cultural preservation or attempting to revive tradition becomes incredibly difficult.

The logic underlying the modern scientific system is specialisation, becoming increasingly granular; one is trained in a specific field to perform a specific job. The goal is to produce “cogs in a machine” rather than develop whole individuals. I recently saw a video where a Master’s student mentioned that his senior in the lab was unable to classify all the microbes in the soil, and therefore questioned whether farmers’ homemade microbial fertilisers were reasonable. It is clear that the mindset cultivated by this system is very narrow. Ecological agriculture requires comprehensive knowledge; the myriad situations that arise in farming cannot be described by specific data alone.

This is not to say that textual systems are unnecessary, but rather that we should seek ways to bridge the two.

Consequently, we adjusted our approach to ecological agriculture training. We wanted to see if we could accumulate experience through “teaching by example”, taking a different path to cultivate a system of transmission within a small group. Once this foundation is laid, we can gradually consider how to integrate local experience with textual records.

● Lao Liu and his partner Luo Lishuang strive to link teaching with practice during their training, ensuring that participating fellow farmers can both master the skills and apply them effectively.

II. Ecological and Conventional Agriculture

When running the training, many of the farmers who joined were originally using conventional methods, growing fruit trees with pesticides and chemical fertilisers. At first, they found it strange that we didn’t talk about chemicals or pruning techniques. But they stuck with it, and some successfully made the transition. On one hand, we taught them alternatives to pesticides, fertilisers, and herbicides. But it wasn’t just about the alternatives; it was about learning how to think independently of these chemicals. On the other hand, we wanted to convey the ecological principle of ‘the right crop for the right place’. Many farmers waste so much effort simply because they start in the wrong direction, choosing crops unsuitable for local natural conditions, which then requires heavy external intervention (such as pesticides and fertilisers) to sustain. Once they accepted these views, it became much easier for them to embrace the idea of protecting local varieties.

● Promoting seed saving and breeding, and establishing an exchange network among farmers in Guangxi, was another key part of Lao Liu’s previous work.

All of this requires the farmers to trust you—they need to feel that what the teacher is saying is reliable and achievable before they can truly hear the next word. Ultimately, the goal of the training is to nudge their perspective and broaden their horizons.

Of course, once the training ends, not everyone can persevere with ecological farming due to practical difficulties. The first issue is the market.

How much should ecological produce be sold for? Who is the target audience? The prevailing view among many is that ecological products are naturally high-cost and high-priced. Whenever ecological produce is mentioned, people immediately talk about the purchasing power of city dwellers.

However, if the right methods are used, the costs of ecological farming are controllable and the prices remain competitive. For instance, some farmers in Guangxi have tried selling their produce in local county towns. They don’t necessarily have to sell to big cities or charge premium prices; by pricing their goods only slightly higher than similar products, they still maintain a competitive edge locally.

As my partner Luo Lishuang puts it: ‘We choose ecological farming because it is a more advantageous way of producing.’

● As a veteran frontline agricultural worker and a mentor and friend deeply trusted by farmers, Lao Liu’s partner, Luo Lishuang, also participated in the recording of Food Talk to share his views on current agriculture and farmers. Click the link to read the transcript: Talk More About Principles, Less About Methods: What Kind of Training Do Farmers Need?

When I first started with ecological farming, I had a strong sense of mission, believing it to be the only way forward for agriculture. Over the years, chatting with farmers has revealed that they, too, have deep fixations. But I now feel that too much obsession can be counterproductive. Ecological farming and conventional farming should not be in an irreconcilable, zero-sum relationship. The underlying principles of agriculture are the same; whether it is ecological or conventional, one must pay attention to soil health, biological traits, and the mechanisms behind pest and disease outbreaks. This is something farmers on both paths need to learn, rather than simply saying, ‘I don’t use pesticides, fertilisers, or herbicides,’ and ignoring everything else.

Agriculture requires more than just labour; it requires people to learn, think, analyse, and gradually accumulate knowledge.

Many people don’t think deeply when they encounter a problem. For example, if a class teaches techniques like composting or making enzyme extracts, they simply go home and follow the steps. But why compost? Why use enzymes? When should they be applied? Some farmers don’t think further; they do it just for the sake of doing it, without digesting the principles or considering their own specific situation—the state of the crops, the state of the soil, and what kind of balance they need to achieve in their production over the coming years.

Therefore, our previous training aimed to convey a specific concept to the farmers: the purpose of learning is to achieve autonomous breakthroughs in agricultural technology. It is not enough to just follow instructions after a class; you must return to your own farm to observe, think, and continue learning.

● Farmers sharing their experiences during the training. ‘Mutual growth through teaching and learning’ has always been a hallmark of the training sessions organised by Lao Liu, fostering deep friendships between mentors and farmers.

III. The New Generation of Farmers: Can both body and soul return to the countryside?

Early this year, Foodthink and I released an “ecological agriculture training baseline survey”. We interviewed many fellow farmers and held telephone discussions with several partners. Initially, we wanted to understand technical requirements, but other discoveries emerged along the way. We found that the newer generation entering ecological agriculture hasn’t quite decided why they are doing it. Why do agriculture? Are they truly prepared to be farmers? If a farm is run solely as a business or a startup project, without integrating it with the needs of daily life and production, the farmer will find themselves in a state of internal disconnect.

When “new farmers” return home to pursue agriculture, do they have a clear identity and plan? Or are they constantly ready to leave the land and switch to another industry to make money? In other words: their bodies have “returned home”, but has their heart followed? It is a subtle state, where subconscious thoughts heavily influence our decisions.

If the heart has truly returned, the way agricultural value is measured changes. Some farmers have very clear goals; for example, farming on the outskirts of a small town or in a village and being content with a yearly surplus of 40,000 yuan. By planning production around this goal—considering which varieties to plant and in what quantity—they avoid excessive pressure.

If the heart hasn’t returned, then your vision of the future is still one of “fame and fortune”. Someone once told me they hoped to earn 8,000 yuan a month, expecting to make that sum from just half a mu of land. When you price yourself using the logic of capital, you must plan the farm’s production using that same logic, but the land may not be able to meet those expectations of profit.

In 2012, while running the “Da Ping Huo” community canteen in Chongqing, I discussed with our collaborating farmers that ecological agriculture is a “life-oriented” form of production, not an “industrialised” one. How much money is needed on the farm? How much can be earned? Planning production on this basis requires a holistic approach.

●Tang Liang from Sichuan (far left in the left image) and Wei Guanghai from Guangxi (right image) are both young returnees who, in Lao Liu’s view, have clear plans and a good quality of life. For Tang Liang’s sharing with Foodthink this year, please see “12 Years Since Returning Home: A First-Generation Left-Behind Child Rebuilds a Family with an Ecological Farm | Food Talk Vol.32“.

New farmers now face their own “three great mountains”: elderly care, childcare, and healthcare. However, problems in agriculture and rural areas have never been solvable within those spheres alone; it is unfair to place this entire burden on the farmers. Expecting ecological agriculture to solve the issue of schooling essentially transfers that pressure onto production, turning the act of farming into a burden.

Will the future of village development move forward or backward? I am no economist, so I cannot predict.

This summer, I visited Zhejiang and Shanghai, where I saw rural landscapes completely different from those in Guangxi. In Guangxi, too, there are signs of “new villagers” or “creative entrepreneurs” joining the communities. These new trends are possible, but they will take a long time to develop. When city dwellers wish to change their life’s trajectory but do not know how to farm, new needs and opportunities for cooperation arise in the village, potentially reigniting its vitality.

In our exploration of ecological agriculture, we should not focus solely on technique, but engage in deeper reflection on personal, familial, and societal levels. Although most fellow farmers are currently struggling with basic survival, that shouldn’t stop us from looking further ahead and planting the seeds of change.

Those ecological smallholders who have a clear sense of identity are currently thriving, proving that this path is viable. They have also begun considering how to gradually attract more people back to the countryside and onto the path of ecological agriculture.

I often tell my former colleagues that our work is for the future, even if no results are visible now. Just as when we used to talk about the conservation of heirloom varieties and people seemed to have no concept of it, these issues will become more important in the future. The seeds we plant now may take 20 or 30 years to take root and bloom.

Foodthink Author
Lao Liu
Born Huang Guoliang, a native of Hepu, Guangxi. He began rural construction work in 2005, participating in the creation of the Yan Yangchu Rural Construction Academy’s Ecological Agriculture Studio, the Beijing Little Donkey Urban Farm, the Chongqing Guoren “Da Ping Huo” Community Canteen, and the Nanning Urban Farm Market. He founded the Guangxi Guoren Rural Poverty Alleviation and Development Centre and initiated the Guangxi Local Variety In-situ Conservation Platform. Currently based mainly in Guangxi, he is involved in ecological agriculture work as a freelancer.

 

 

Compiled by: Chen HuiyingEdited by: Wang Hao

Published by Foodthink