Foodthink projects, activities, and programmes.
Friends were divided on whether Guan Qi was an introvert or an extrovert. Several people had asked him directly, only to receive a different answer each time. After he passed away, as we gathered together, we realised this was a truth that could never be pinned down. Whenever I recall…
Looking back at 2025, what news about food and agriculture left the deepest impression on you? Was it the struggle to harvest crops amidst the relentless rains of North China, the delivery platform wars, the heated debates over pre-prepared meals that nearly sparked violence, or…? Over the past year, Foodthink,…
Today, many are beginning to seriously consider the value and meaning of rural life, even weaving farm labour and living into their future plans. In an age marked by risk and uncertainty, Foodthink hopes to support young people who care about food and agriculture—particularly those eager to pursue ecological farming—in…
This is Foodthink’s final post of 2025. Surprise—no year-end roundup! (The honest truth? It hasn’t been dug out of the drafts yet, so please dial again later…) Why not take a look at the fun we got up to at the recent Guangdong Harvest Festival! Co-Creating Climate Sci-Fi Thanks to…
I. Summer Pasture: The Last Pastoral Song Early autumn around Qinghai Lake already carries a distinct chill. On that September afternoon, as daylight gradually faded, our group drove on, relying on directions from passersby and wending deeper into the mountains one stretch at a time. None of us could say…
I. Crash Behind the Black Box In the summer of 2024, on the second day of my return to my hometown in Northeast China to research agricultural drones, a machine in the neighbouring village crashed mid-operation, catching on a power line. Crashes are commonplace, affecting not just agricultural drones…
I wonder whether many of you share my habit: when aimlessly selecting an ear of corn, a bag of rice, or a lychee from the chilled aisle of a supermarket, we scarcely give a thought to where it came from—the very soil that nurtured it. It’s as though provisions simply…
At first light, Yang Ge’s drone had already been working in the rice fields for some time. As a drone pilot, he holds the “life-and-death power” over some 2,000 mu of crops. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat that leaves only his eyes visible, he operates a remote control that records flight…
Foodthink Says From yellow wine and fermented black beans to pickled vegetables and soy sauce, people have long turned to the tangy, aromatic, and mellow depths of fermentation to find the warmth of home and the resilience of life. Across the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, fermentation is woven even more tightly into…
I. More Than a Mere Bystander In July, Beijing is at the height of summer. On this land I am soon to leave, seeds sown in spring are now bearing plump fruit. As I immerse myself in the joy of the harvest, I also come to realise how precious the…
