A Look Into Another World
P
eople have different ideas of a proper way of away from the major cities, they do not have
life. Across the world, there are a variety of
many farms that use the equipment most U.S.
cultures that practice a broad spectrum of
farmers use today.
farming. The Chinese and American cultures do
Chinese traditional agriculture practices have
not only differ in their way of life, but also in their been used for thousands of years and are usually
basic farming practices.
environmentally friendly and sustainable but are
Zongren Kuang, a visiting professor in the
not as efficient.
Department of Agricultural Education and
Kuang said the last significant difference is the
Communications at Texas Tech University,
education level of the producers. He said most
has had a first-hand look at farming in China.
Chinese farmers are educated for eight years
Growing up on a farm in the
of their lives. They also have
Jiangxi Province of China,
different social and cultural
Kuang said American and
backgrounds, usually having
Chinese agriculture have a
little business experience.
few main differences that are
Although there are many
apparent to him.
differences, Chinese farming
One difference is the
traditions run in many families.
amount of land that Chinese
Many young farmers though
farmers use.
will move away from their
Dr. Norman Hopper,
farming communities to find a
Coordinator for Special
job in the bigger cities, just as
Projects in the College of
many do in the U.S.
Agricultural Sciences and
“In the rural area there are
Natural Resources, agreed with
very little young farmers to do
Kuang that it is evident that
ag works,” Kuang said. “Most
the sizes of Chinese farms are
of them move out.”
much smaller than those here
Hopper said the first time
in the U.S.
he went to China in 1996, the
“The biggest difference is
economy was changing so
economy of scale,” Hopper
much and most young farmers
said. “Over here, farmers have
were moving to the city. This
Hopper and Kuang join compare
at least a thousand acres, some
meant that the agriculture
memories
of
Chinese
agriculture.
more. In China the average is 2-3
industry was starting to lose the
acres.”
next generation of farmers.
The difference of farm sizes that the Chinese
From both views of Chinese agriculture, it
culture provides leads to another significant
is evident that what we know as daily farming is
difference in the two countries’ practices.
something very different in a world away.
Mechanization in China is far behind that seen
in the U.S. in terms of farming, according to both
Hopper and Kuang.
L Jessica Lopez | Pearland, Texas
“Land per farmer is very small, so they cannot
use a lot of big machines,” Kuang said. “So,
Chinese farming is not adapted.”
In China, the closer to the larger cities that
farms are, the more mechanized the farms
become. In the western region of the country,