Started with a roar, finished with a bang: Foodthink’s 2022
For most people, 2022 felt like a rollercoaster, full of highs and lows.
The team at Foodthink felt much the same; our ambitions, which in 2021 had been to venture far and wide, shifted towards a state of constant apprehension and anxiety.
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Fortunately, last year also brought its share of rewards. Thanks to the dedication of our friends and collaborators, Foodthink produced nearly 100 original articles, over 40 public events, 13 podcast episodes, and countless other project outputs in 2022. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all.
As we return to work for the New Year, we invite our readers to look back with us at 2022, as recorded by Foodthink. To pick up the pieces of the past, set them aside, and welcome the start of a new year.
Uncertainty
Foodthink 2022
After the past two months, the lockdowns of 2022 feel like a distant memory. Throughout the period of city-wide lockdowns and controls, Foodthink has been reporting on the stories of ordinary people and food during the pandemic: How did Shanghai residents, unable to leave their homes, desperately scramble for groceries? If a lockdown is imminent, what foods should be stockpiled? Where can people buy vegetables if supermarkets and e-commerce platforms run out of stock? What are some clever tricks for preserving food? Are the wild greens in the residential compound edible? What should you do if you’re trapped in your office? Is it too late to start growing vegetables from scratch?
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Last December, Foodthink’s “Pandemic and Food” series officially came to an end, yet the impact of the pandemic continued to spread. This Spring Festival, many returned to hometowns they hadn’t visited in years, some experiencing the loss of family members, others providing bedside care… 2022 is a year we will not forget.
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The global food system has also faced various fluctuations. Disrupted food exports from war-torn Ukraine have not only affected food supplies in developing countries but, through a “butterfly effect”, have even reached Singapore’s signature dish, Hainanese chicken rice.
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Resilience
Foodthink 2022
The hardships and anxieties of the past year have prompted us to rethink urban living and the consumption patterns we take for granted. Is depending on a system that grows ever larger yet more uncertain our only option? Can we imagine a future that is more sustainable and resilient?
Many pin their hopes on top-down solutions: take, for instance, the agricultural nitrogen reduction plan introduced by the Dutch government in June 2022. However, unrealistic targets and a lack of supporting transition policies sparked widespread protests among Dutch farmers.
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Is third-party organic certification the answer to food safety and environmental issues? If so, how are we to view the largest fraud case in the history of the US organic industry? Why did regulators fail to spot the loopholes that allowed farmers to pass off inferior products, and why have they been unable to bridge the divide between producers and consumers?
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Furthermore, farms that can afford organic certification fees tend to be larger in scale. Research has shown that among certified organic farms, the larger the operation, the less likely managers are to implement ecologically beneficial measures. Moreover, large-scale organic farms often end up squeezing out their smaller counterparts.
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We aim to drive change from the bottom up. There are inspiring examples from abroad: Transition Town Totnes in the UK relies on local food systems to build resilience; Wang Bang, a writer living in the UK, engages in grassroots politics via local food movements; and young people in the Netherlands brew unique craft beers to support local small-scale ecological farmers…
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Closer to home, we see similar action and practice within China: Grandma Kouzi, who is self-sufficient in Erren Valley; intellectual farmers Wenzizi and Changjueling living in the Lishan hills of suburban Beijing; the community vegetable shops of the Beijing Organic Farmers’ Market; the Tsinghua-Peking University Consumer Cooperative, which deals directly with producers; and the Fengnianqing festival, a celebration of food and farming that links urban and rural communities…
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Technology
Foodthink 2022
In recent years, the concept of the Metaverse has taken the internet by storm. But do we really need this digital utopia constructed by tech experts? It is often said that technology is the primary driver of productivity, but can it truly resolve the fundamental issues facing agriculture?
Can e-commerce, which appears to create a precise link between smallholders and consumers, really solve the market dilemmas farmers face? According to research by Feng Xiaojun of the China Agricultural University, the technical and financial barriers to entry for agricultural e-commerce are steadily rising. Smallholders have virtually no bargaining power when dealing with these platforms, remaining subject to the logic of capital and web traffic.
Smallholders who join the e-commerce “game” may see a boost in sales, but they often find themselves pushed around by the draconian rules of platform customer service. The struggles fruit farmers encounter in production and sales become even more invisible to consumers who care only about visual quality and service.
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Blockchain, which saw a surge in popularity a few years ago, was once considered the next technological hotspot for agriculture. However, given the obstacles to practical application and the monopolies reinforced by the technology, one is left to wonder whether agricultural blockchain is nothing more than empty rhetoric.
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Returning to the food itself, the “high-tech” promise of plant-based meat has become an investment darling in recent years. These protein isolates extracted from legumes, combined with a cocktail of additives to mimic the taste and appearance of meat, are simply ultra-processed foods. They are certainly less healthy than genuine plant-based diets and not necessarily more sustainable. Truly responsible consumption requires a deep understanding of food and agriculture, rather than merely buying into technological gimmicks.
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The ecological disaster framed by the spectacle of dinosaurs in *Jurassic World Dominion* has, in truth, been playing out repeatedly in the real world: the lucrative pairing of herbicides and herbicide-tolerant GM soybeans, which generates enormous profits for seed companies, has severely undermined biodiversity.
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In Silent Spring, Rachel Carson warns us that humanity’s attempt to eradicate pests once and for all through pesticides only led to a technological backlash and the disruption of ecological balance.
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It is time to ask ourselves: is technology creating a trap of our own making?
Climate Change
Foodthink 2022
The second strongest “Dragon Boat rains” in the Pearl River Basin since 1961, scorching heatwaves across the country, unseasonable droughts during the flood season in the Yangtze River Basin, consecutive summer and autumn droughts in the south, and precipitous cold snaps… The frequent extreme weather events of 2022 have allowed more people to experience firsthand the climate disasters brought about by global warming.
However, we found that media reports and public discussions surrounding climate issues focus more on food security, while lacking the perspectives and voices of ecological farmers. How do small-scale ecological farmers view climate change? What impact do the unusual and extreme weather patterns caused by climate change have on them? How are they adapting? What gaps and obstacles remain on the path to future adaptation?
To answer these questions and highlight the wisdom, practices, and efforts of ecological farmers in coping with climate change, as well as the challenges they face, Foodthink—which has long focused on ecological agriculture and climate change—and the Friends of Nature Linglong Project jointly launched the “Climate Change and Ecological Smallholders Survey” in 2022 across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and South China.
Starting in May, project officer Qihua and Linglong partner Xiyao began participatory research in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. In late July, amidst an unusual heatwave, Qihua and colleagues visited 12 ecological farms in South China. Alongside their hectic research schedule, they recorded the stories of smallholders facing heavy rainfall, extreme heat and drought, hail, and blizzards, and shared their experiences while the memories were still fresh after the study concluded.
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We would like to express our special thanks to Researcher Xu Yinlong of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Not only did he provide invaluable suggestions for this study, but he also led two sharing sessions for Foodthink readers, discussing the impact of climate change on agricultureand how agriculture can adapt to climate change.
Beyond simply conveying hard scientific facts, Foodthink also aimed to make the narratives of climate change and agriculture accessible to a broader audience. Thus, in August, Foodthink and Friends of Nature co-hosted a book club for *The Earth Doesn’t Care: The Table Destroyed by Climate Change*, connecting with front-line ecological farmers in China to discuss issues such as water resources and pest infestations in the context of climate change, and inviting them to share their own experiences of the climate crisis.
Resilient agroecological farmers are also gradually discovering the wisdom of adapting to climate change amidst the crisis: improving soil quality, implementing crop rotation, upgrading farm infrastructure, and switching crop varieties…
At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) and the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), Foodthink founding editor Tianle shared with the world the actions and experiences of China’s ecological smallholders in mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as the challenges they face and the support they require. The ‘Climate Change and Ecological Smallholders’ research report will be officially released in the first half of this year—stay tuned!
Diversity
Foodthink 2022
A healthy society should not have only one voice. Similarly, healthy agriculture should be characterised by a diversity of crops, forms, and participants.
Through our research and farm visits, we have found that crop diversification is a key strategy for ecological farms to adapt to climate change. In a similar vein, during the slump in the Tieguanyin market, tea farmers in Anxi, Fujian, also turned to diversified planting to spread their risks.
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Protecting agricultural biodiversity at its root requires the collection and use of heirloom seeds. During the Beijing Harvest Festival, Foodthink invited partners from the Farmers’ Seed Network and the third phase of the Lianhe Project to discuss the stories behind heirloom seed conservation from the perspectives of both farmers and foodies. Even as an ordinary urban consumer, you can contribute to the protection of biodiversity in ways that are within your reach.
A healthy farm should not rely on a single crop. Similarly, a healthy market should not be dominated by a single monopolistic business model. As the commercial landscape and consumer habits shift, and the pace of urban regeneration accelerates, is there still a need for traditional markets? Foodthink authors Pidan and Qiran, along with editor Wang Hao, discussed why we still need these markets.
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If wet markets are destined to vanish, then make haste to shop and document them! Much like Xiao Yan, who grew up amidst the markets of Shanghai, who took portraits of over a dozen stallholders as a tribute to the now-demolished Aohua Market.
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Diversity means rejecting the binary of “advanced” and “backward” and the divisions between ethnicities; it is the equal respect for every culture and its corresponding way of life. In 2022, Foodthink expanded its horizons to China’s inland frontiers, visiting the Jiarong Tibetan villages of Danba County, the “Kingdom of a Thousand Watchtowers”; joining bee farmers in the mountain villages of Longnan to collect honey from the hills; living and dining with herders on the Ujimqin Grassland; documenting the culinary traditions of Lisu villages in their foraging of rich local ingredients; and using the threads of weaving and dyeing to map the changing lives of Dong villages in Guizhou.
Last year, we also began to step beyond our familiar discourse, seeking greater dialogue and collaboration with the art world. This began with online conversations for the exhibition ‘Boundless Sea’, an online discussion co-curated with LEAP inspired by wild greens, and a collaborative section at the Beijing Harvest Festival — ‘Art Activists in the Vegetable Garden’.
Interns
Foodthink 2022
Since its founding in August 2017, Foodthink has shared the stories of dozens of ecological farmers across the country. Over years of growth, these farms have accumulated a wealth of invaluable experience in areas such as farm management, production techniques, and marketing.
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We believed that by codifying this knowledge for young people wishing to return to the countryside, we could reduce their learning curve and the cost of trial and error. In turn, the arrival of young people brings new vitality to the farms, injecting fresh blood into the sustainable food and agriculture sector.
Consequently, at the beginning of 2022, Foodthink launched the first “Ecological Agriculture Internship Programme”. We screened and matched 18 young people from diverse backgrounds with 12 ecological farms across the country; for the most part, they successfully completed internships lasting from three months to a year.
Many chose to extend their placements after the initial term ended, while others stayed on as full-time employees or continued to pursue roles within ecological agriculture, continuing their education from the land and the farmers.
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Those who did not stay on at the farms gained new perspectives and renewed strength from the experience, continuing to carve out their own paths in life with courage.
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The farms that hosted the first cohort of interns also spoke very highly of the programme. Most of them continue to support Foodthink’s second internship cycle and are keen to welcome more interns.
If you care about food, and the environmental, livelihood, and equity issues surrounding agriculture, and are exploring new possibilities for your life, we welcome you to join the Foodthink Second Ecological Farm Internship Programme. Applications are now open!
On 9 February, we will also be organising a special sharing session, inviting the first cohort of interns and their mentors to reflect on their experiences. The session will be held via Tencent Meeting and livestreamed on the Foodthink video account. If you would like to learn more about the details of the internship programme, we welcome your questions online.
Food Talk
Foodthink 2022
Foodthink’s logo is a microphone growing from the fields. In 2022, we truly carried microphones across the length and breadth of the country to gather voices from the field, launching “Food Talk” on various podcast platforms with 13 episodes released.
The “field” represents the actual earth and frontline agricultural production. While conducting research in South China, Guo Rui from Yinlin Ecological Farm shared his ten-year journey of returning home with our hosts; we also invited an “HLB expert”—Senior Agricultural Technician Luo Lishuang, to discuss the technical guidance he provides to small-scale farmers and his observations on ecological agriculture.
The ‘field’ represents the reality of the countryside and the rural dwellers who recognise the intrinsic value of rural life. In *Food Talk*, you can hear why musician Bǎ Nóng returned to his roots, embracing a life of ‘tending the soil and lifting his voice in song’; and discover how Jingwen and Zimin of Yinlin Farm arrived there through different paths, and why they chose to stay and become ‘new villagers’.
The field also forged links with urban researchers, activists, and ordinary people concerned with food and agriculture: Pidan, an anthropologist found in wet markets; Fang Ping, who studies rural home gardens; Junjun, a regular in Yunnan’s wild mushroom markets; Jin Hailan, who launched the “reliable” Tsinghua-Peking University Consumer Co-operative; and Liu Lan, head of the Forest Kindergarten at Gaia Nature School… And, of course, there were the ordinary people, anxious about food and freedom amidst the pandemic restrictions.
In 2023, the hosts of Food Talk will continue to travel across the country with their microphones, bringing you the sounds of the fields and the land. Using food as a starting point, we aim to explore the world and connect with one another.
We welcome your interaction on all podcast platforms, or you can add ‘Foodthink-kun’ on WeChat (ID: foodthinkcn) to request to join our listener group. Tell us about the food and farming topics that interest you or the guests you would like to invite—Food Talk might just make it happen!
Harvest Celebration
Foodthink 2022
How can the countryside be seen by the city? Can food and agriculture serve as a bridge for the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature? Do I know where the food I eat every day comes from? What kind of life do I want to lead? What impact can a single person make?
To seek answers to these questions, several organisations in Guangdong focused on urban-rural community development and sustainable living jointly launched the Guangdong Harvest Celebration in 2017. The initiative prioritises small-scale farmers and city dwellers, environmental stewardship, and mutual aid between urban and rural areas. Having actively participated in the Guangdong event, Foodthink decided to bring the Harvest Celebration to Beijing in 2022.
Having seen the blueprint set by our partners in Guangdong, we hoped the Beijing Harvest Celebration could also become a large-scale carnival centred on sustainable food, agriculture, and living—combining exhibitions, sharing sessions, film screenings, markets, and open mics. However, venue changes, shifting pandemic policies, lockdowns, and bouts of COVID-19 quickly brought us back to reality.
As a result, Foodthink and our co-creation partners pivoted online. Towards the end of 2022, focusing on themes of diversity and sustainable living, we organised one workshop, two book clubs, and seven sharing sessions, followed by a year-end market on 15 January, which brought the Harvest Celebration to a physical close.
This was a far-from-perfect first attempt, but the Beijing Harvest Celebration is something we are committed to pursuing in the long term. Our special thanks go to this year’s co-creation partners (listed in no particular order): Beijing Organic Farmers Market, Farmers’ Seed Network, Friends of Nature, Friends of Nature Gaia Nature School, Wang Jue, Zheng Yuan, Beijing Hongyan Social Work Service Centre, and Non-Toxic Pioneer.
When fireflies gather, there is no need to wait for a torch. In 2023, we look forward to more organisations and individuals joining the co-creation of the Beijing Harvest Celebration to drive change together!
Shared Learning
Foodthink 2022
In 2022, Foodthink organised over 40 online events, ranging from sharing sessions to reading circles where we explored eight books together. These covered a wide array of topics, including climate change and agriculture, overviews and practical case studies of regenerative agriculture, the environmental impact of pesticides and herbicides, industrial farming and the antibiotic crisis, the collection and living conservation of heirloom seeds, ‘semi-farming, semi-X’ rural living, fermentation and brewing, dietary patterns and gut health, and food packaging and the reduction of plastics in takeaways…
Our online community brings together participants from all our past events. Beyond their lively discussions, members share regional delicacies and offer mutual support; when they have the chance to meet in person, they work the land, cook together, and exchange seeds and books.
In 2022, for a variety of reasons, opportunities to host in-person events were quite limited. Consequently, most of Foodthink’s activities moved online; in addition to Tencent Meeting, we introduced live streaming via WeChat Channels to make it easier for everyone to book and watch directly.
All our events were recorded and uploaded to Foodthink’s Bilibili account and WeChat Channels. If you missed any of them, you are welcome to catch up by watching the recordings.
If you have taken part in our co-learning activities, we would appreciate it if you could spare a few moments to fill out the questionnaire below, helping us to improve the quality and experience of our events.
2023 may remain a year of uncertainty. Yet we believe that amidst the ruins, there are even greater possibilities for dialogue and connection. In the coming year, Foodthink looks forward to continuing to EAT, THINK, and ACT together with you all!
Edited by: Zen