Idealism in the village: What detours did he take? | Food Talk Vol. 35
While attending a conference in Nanning, we caught up with our old friend, Huang Yajun.
A seasoned rural worker born in the 1980s, Yajun has experienced several stages of rural development over the last decade or so—from spontaneous community-led exploration to government-driven poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation. Across various villages, he has worked alongside locals to grow and sell rice, raise chickens and sell eggs, harvest green plums and brew plum wine, and even run guesthouses and develop rural tourism… encountering a range of setbacks along the way.
The idea for this conversation was sparked by an academic paper. The author argues that Yajun’s work in the countryside has repeatedly failed because it runs counter to the overarching process of modernisation, characterised by industrialisation and urbanisation.
But what is the true trend of development? Should one simply “go with the flow”? Perhaps everyone has a different answer to these questions. Over the years, various theories have come and gone in succession, each attempting to guide rural development. For Yajun, however, the key is that practitioners must maintain their own judgment and capacity for reflection.
This episode features Yajun’s perspective as a practitioner. It offers not only a sense of meaning from the viewpoint of a rural worker but also prompts us to reconsider the future of rural issues. Admittedly, not every village can thrive amidst social change, but there will always be a need for people like Yajun who explore with such persistence.
Foodthink also hopes that our urban readers will feel the profound connection between the countryside and issues such as food safety, social equity, and population and labour. Without an understanding of rural China, we may never truly comprehend many of the social problems we face personally. We hope this episode provides you with inspiration and food for thought.
Guest of the Episode
Yajun
From the Shengen Social Work Service Centre in Conghua District, Guangzhou. A rural worker who has lived in villages and worked the land, integrating his past and future through his work in the countryside.
Hosts of the Episode
Tianle
Founding Editor of Foodthink and organiser of the Beijing Organic Farmers’ Market. Despite over a decade of work in agri-food systems, he acknowledges his limitations and operates primarily in the city. He has immense admiration for those who work directly within rural communities and achieve tangible results.
Wang Hao
Editor at Foodthink. He worked briefly alongside Yajun in the village last year.
Timeline
06:46 In an era of advanced urbanisation, does the countryside exist solely to serve the city? Could there be other possibilities for rural life?
08:26 Yajun and his colleagues worked on-site in villages, establishing cooperatives for rice cultivation, green plum processing, and other ventures.
09:52 Why do farmers need to band together in cooperatives? Is it not enough to simply take one’s own chickens to the market? What happens when ‘atomised’ individual farmers are faced with the market?
13:37 What challenges are faced when helping farmers establish standardised production systems and sustainable sales channels?
19:49 Why are young people drawn to ‘going into the villages’ for public service? How can those with simple ideals truly come to understand rural life? Let’s look at the way Yajun and his team work in the countryside.
37:33 Could there be a closer synergy between academic research and on-the-ground practice? Beyond mere critique, can academia offer more support to practitioners through observation and reflection?
43:33 If theory suggests that ‘there is no way forward for the countryside’, should we simply give up? The necessity of action cannot be dismissed.
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Click the titles to read related articles
The Shenggeng team’s response to the paper:
Responding to ‘Reflections’: What kind of theoretical work do practitioners need?
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Production team for this episode
Production: Xiaojing
Music: Binong
Editor: Wang Hao
Contact email: xiaojing@foodthink.cn