Organic production, sustainable farming methods, and ecological farming practices.
For over six months, Dutch farmers have been protesting against nitrogen reduction policies. Amid this unrest, the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging, or BBB)—widely seen as a pro-farmer party—emerged as a dark horse in the Netherlands’ March regional elections. Founded just four years ago, the BBB not only captured nearly 20% of…
“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…
In Europe and Japan, there is a long tradition of educating children through nature and agriculture. Every year, primary school pupils are taken by their schools into the fields to learn how to sow seeds, tend crops, and prepare food. From the classroom to the great outdoors, and from spring…
Foodthink Says Last Monday, we shared why more than a dozen young people decided to hit pause on their city lives. So why, instead of choosing to ‘lie flat’, have they headed to the countryside to learn farming and embrace a more labour-intensive, challenging way of life? Here are a…
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,…
Foodthink’s Ecological Agriculture Internship Programme was originally conceived to foster a mutual learning and collaborative relationship between young people keen to return home and pursue ecological farming, and seasoned growers who have already amassed rich hands-on experience. The aim was to help the next generation of farmers reduce the trial-and-error…
Foodthink Says Since the launch of Foodthink’s Phase 2 Ecological Agriculture Internship Programme, we have received a steady stream of application forms. Thank you all for your interest and support! We have been progressively reaching out to suitable applicants and arranging in-depth interview discussions. By the end of this month,…
In the summer and autumn of 2021, Beijing endured an exceptionally long flood season lasting 122 days, with rainfall across six northern provinces and municipalities – including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan and Shaanxi – reaching its highest level since 1961. That autumn, I began an online master’s programme in…
Foodthink Says As the commercial seed industry grows ever more dominant, traditional farmer varieties and heritage seeds are increasingly pushed to the margins. Their loss represents more than just a decline in biodiversity; it signals the gradual erosion of diverse local food traditions and cultural heritage. Today, however, a growing…
This episode was recorded in the deserts of Alxa, Inner Mongolia, by Qihua, who oversees climate change and small-scale ecological farming research at Foodthink, alongside two guests. At the end of August 2022, the three sat beneath a large tree in an oasis within the Tengger Desert. You might catch…
