Torrential rain, flooding, typhoons, droughts… under the threat of climate change, farmers are always the first to suffer. Yet, it is often overlooked that they are also the most proactive in taking measures to mitigate these losses. Last year, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the Farmer Seed…

I grew up in New York City, and from a young age, I loved all kinds of pickles. Little did I imagine that those delicious, crunchy, garlicky pickles would one day lead me on a journey of discovery and exploration. In truth, besides pickles, fermented products such as bread, cheese,…

I. The word ‘fermentation’ always evokes a sensory longing for foods with rich, mellow textures. Yet, rather than being a culinary art, fermentation is more akin to a gift from nature. As experience and knowledge accumulated, humanity learned to make slight adjustments to external factors, such as ambient temperature, working…

Before flowing east into the urban areas of Beijing, the Yongding River forms several U-shaped bends following the mountain terrain; Longjiazhuang and Shuiyuzui villages are situated on opposite banks of the river. A road bridge connects the two villages. Between 29 July and 2 August, extreme rainfall across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei…

Recently, news that Singapore is introducing grading for sugary drinks and an imminent ban on advertising for milk tea and juices has sparked heated debate in China. In truth, Singapore is not the first nation to intervene in the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages. Over a decade ago, policymakers began introducing…

Over the last forty years, and particularly the last decade, China’s food system has undergone seismic shifts. Many of us have observed and experienced this: traditional wet markets are quietly vanishing from mainstream life, replaced by fresh-food e-commerce and online shopping as the primary sources for urban dwellers; cheap delivery…

You have almost certainly come across the ‘cocklebur’—small, oval fruits with hook-like spines at the tip. Once mature, they cling to clothing and animals; a single walk through the fields can leave your trouser legs covered in them. Although the native cocklebur has a long history of growth in China,…

Foodthink is a knowledge, information, and writing community dedicated to sustainable food and agriculture, founded and managed by a group of partners with long-term experience in agricultural and food practice and research. Since our inception in August 2017, we have connected with nearly 200 outstanding researchers and practitioners from both…

Last week, Foodthink’s focus on the proposed revisions to the Administrative Measures for the Supervision and Management of Quality and Safety of Edible Agricultural Products in Market Sales sparked significant interest among our readers. The removal of “drying” from the definition of “edible agricultural products” suggests that farmers who produce…

Industrial revitalisation is the top priority of rural revitalisation, as well as the starting point for practical work. Without industry, rural areas struggle to attract people, let alone retain talent; the avenues for farmers to increase their income remain narrow, and cultural activities are difficult to initiate. In promoting industrial…