Species protection, ecosystem change, and habitat loss.
A Word from Foodthink Today is International Day for Biological Diversity. This year’s theme is “Biodiversity: A Shared Endeavour” (Be part of the plan). For most people, the most direct way to get involved is simple—through what we eat. Through our diet, we can savour the wonders that biodiversity brings,…
Over twenty years ago, a group of pioneering farmers and social organisations charted a path for ‘ecological agriculture’ in China. Motivated by a commitment to food safety and a profound dedication to environmental stewardship, they began cultivating the land without pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, or herbicides. Whether they were newcomers starting…
“When yellow croaker graces the table, it’s worth its weight in gold.” In Zhejiang and Shanghai, wild large yellow croaker has long been a traditional banquet centrepiece, chosen as much for its auspicious symbolism as its flavour. Along China’s coastline, perhaps no other fish has experienced a fate so fraught…
Torrential rain, flooding, typhoons, droughts… Under the threat of climate change, farmers are invariably the first to bear the brunt of the damage. Yet what is often overlooked is that, in seeking to avert these losses, they are also the most proactive in taking adaptive measures. Last year, the International…
Those who have studied permaculture will likely be familiar with the name Sepp Holzer. As a pioneer in the field, Holzer is almost a household name in Austria, and his book *Holzer’s Permaculture* has long served as a foundational guide for enthusiasts worldwide. This June, I travelled to Krameterhof, the…
You will almost certainly recognise cockleburs: oval fruits tipped with hook-like spines that cling to clothing and animals once ripe. A quick walk through the fields can often leave your trousers covered in them. While the native cocklebur has been established in China for centuries, an invasive relative, the Italian…
Since 6 April, Damao Banner in Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has been hit by almost daily sandstorms. The worst hit was on the 10th, when a storm persisted for nearly five hours, obscuring the sun with blowing sand and leaving the interior of houses in gloom. “We had…
The 10th Annual Conference of the Farmers’ Seed Network took place on 8–9 April 2023 at the Institute of Organic Cycling, China Agricultural University (Suzhou). Acting as a co-organiser, Foodthink was present on site and played a central role in shaping and moderating the conference programme. Four community partners supported…
“I have a thought, though I’m not sure if it will be of any use?” The grandmother and the former steward simultaneously fixed their gaze on her. She explained, “Our household is busiest in the spring and largely idle in autumn. Why not take this opportunity to trade in Hangbai…
This episode was recorded in the Alxa desert in Inner Mongolia by Qihua, Foodthink’s researcher for climate change and ecological smallholder farming, together with two guests. Recorded at the end of August 2022, the three of them sat beneath a large tree in a Tengger Desert oasis. In the background,…
