Food production, farmers, rural society, and ecological farming practices.
I. Loess Plateau Cuisine That Shaped My Childhood Born in the 1980s, I grew up in the mountainous folds of the Loess Plateau. I have always loved the hills, the vast plateau, and the wild freedom of roaming through slopes awash with wildflowers. My hometown lies where the borders of…
I’m Xiaomi. In December 2021, aged 26, I resigned from a civil service training company. Unsure of what kind of work I wanted to do next, I returned home to prepare for the Chinese New Year. Over the holiday period, I began to reflect on my future direction, realising that…
In this episode, the host of Food Talk travels to Tongxiang in Zhejiang province, following Yu Jiangang—a young returnee—as he visits the village where he was born, grew up, and has now settled back into. Together they explore the village’s final acre of Hangzhou white chrysanthemums, uncovering the biodiversity and…
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…
Twenty hours later, my feet finally touched down, sinking into the deep snow of Lapland, northern Sweden. It was seven in the morning, and the skies above Jokkmokk had yet to fully brighten, yet the glare reflecting off the surrounding white expanse was already sufficient to make out the silhouettes…
In early 2023, Foodthink opened applications for the second cohort of its “Eco-Agriculture Internship Programme”. Our aim is to connect young people aspiring to work in eco-agriculture with well-established eco-farms. This initiative equips newcomers with practical farming knowledge and techniques, ensures that the hard-won expertise of seasoned growers is documented…
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…
