Feeding Frenzy: the Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) and Urban Agriculture
Movements in Modern China
Kris Kokame
THE CSA MOVEMENT
The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement began in the United States in the
1980s and has since begun to spread across the globe, increasing in popularity as people begin to
question the origin and healthiness of their food.1 CSAs are made up of a community of people
who support a local farm operation, sharing both the benefits and the risks of the harvests. Many
of the CSA farmers use organic agriculture methods to grow their crops, meaning they use
natural systems and do not use harmful chemicals, which therefore yields safer and healthier
food. The main idea is to build a community and allow the consumers a closer connection to
their food source (including the land and the people who grow it), while also offering healthier,
fresher produce to the participants. The strengthened bond between farmers and the community
fosters a symbiotic positive relationship of societal education, earlier and higher pay to farmers,
wholesome fresh produce, safer food sources, and revived bonds between grower and
consumers.2,3
THE RISE
OF
CSAS
IN
CHINA
Not only have CSAs been increasing in popularity in the United States, but in recent years they
have also been sprouting up in China. One of the reasons for the increasing interest in CSAs in
China is the increasing wealth of the middle class, a booming 500 million people, who can now
afford to pay a higher price for higher-quality food. Citizens are willing to pay 5-6x the market
price for health and safety.4 Another reason for the increasing interest in CSAs are recent food
safety incidents, which are causing a greater public concern about food sources, cleanliness,
safety, preparation, content, and overall healthiness. Some of the better-known food safety
scares include counterfeit powdered milk/ baby formula, contamination of prepared foods,
primary school food poisoning, fake or unsafe meat scandals, rampant hormone supplementation
in food cultivation, pollution of food source areas, and pesticide residues on produce. To keep
up with China’s burgeoning population and increasing food demand in a rapidly climbing
economy, several producers have been cutting corners on food safety to reap the greatest profits.
The current trends in China are currently in favor of rapid growth and modernization over
environmental and health concerns. In terms of agriculture, many farms in China are trying to
McFadden, Steven. “Community Farms in the 21st Century: Poised for Another Wave of Growth?” Rodale Institute. 1998.
http://www.newfarm.org/features/0104/csa-history/part1.shtml
2
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). “Community Supported Agriculture.” USDA National Agriculture Library. 2014 Mar 3.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
3
“Community Supported Agriculture.” Local Harvest. 2014. http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
4
“Future Food: Stay or Go?” Television Trust for the Environment. 2012. tve.org.
1
maximize production through chemical and hormone additives. Chinese agriculture emits almost
twice as much greenhouse gases as its entire industrial sector, adding heavily to the stress and
damage to the environment. 50 million tons of inorganic fertilizers are used in China’s fields
(only 17% is taken up by the crops), and 1.5 million tons of toxic pesticides are sprayed onto
crops.5 These synthetic supplementations may lead to terrible consequences for consumers such
as malnutrition, cancer, poisoning, and even death.
SHI YAN’S INFLUENCE
One woman took matters into her own hands in 2008, spearheading the entire CSA movement in
China. Shi Yan, a graduate of Beijing’s Renmin University, opened Little Donkey Farm just
outside of Beijing’s city boundaries. She was inspired to open China’s first CSA because of her
experience working for Earthrise Farm (a small CSA) in western Minnesota, and in recognition
of the egregious use of fertilizers and pesticides in China’s commercial crop growth. Her
mission was to address several current issues in agriculture through Little Donkey Farm: organic
and sustainable farming methods, increased trust between farmers and consumers, education,
strengthened community, public participation, and simply a relaxing place for people to escape
the busy city life and share ideas.6
Her vision was the spark that ignited the spread of CSAs in China and an increase in public
interest in the organic food movement. Little Donkey Farm has proved to be a foundational
prototype for farming models and similar organizations across the country, and it has been
estimated that there are now at least 50 other CSAs in China (Fig 1).7 Shi Yan’s CSA serves as
an inspiration, stimulating a movement in China towards increased consumer connections with
the origins of their food and therefore improved food health and safety. Her counterculture
movement back to farming life (instead of the current trend of moving from villages to cities)
and overall devotion to the CSA lifestyle serves as inspiration for dedicated young people in
China today.8
Shi Yan recognized that the primary problems in Chinese agriculture are the mistrust between
farmers and consumers, the lack of education, and the financial pressure on farmers to
synthetically boost productivity. She felt that Little Donkey Farm was not exactly what she had
envisioned and decided to move forwards from there, founding a new CSA called Shared
Harvest. Little Donkey Farm was a good first step because consumers trusted the farm itself, but
they did not trust the hired farmers. What distinguishes Shared Harvest from Little Donkey
Farm is that the Shared Harvest farmers actually own the land they cultivate, and therefore have
personal investments in its proper care and treatment. Shared Harvest has a mutual trust
relationship with the farmer who has agreed to grow crops using organic methods, and the farmer
is given the incentive of being able to sell the produce for a good price. In this way, the
consumer and farmer restore trust connectivity and this leads to overall improvement in balance
between the supply and demand of organic produce.6 Shared Harvest is trying to start a
“Urban Agriculture.” City Farmer. 2014. http://www.cityfarmer.info/
Charles, Daniel. “How Community Supported Agriculture Sprouted in China.” National Public Radio. 2011 Sept 24.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/09/24/140670551/how-community-supported-agriculture-sprouted-in-china
7
Tso, Phoenix. “Promoting Organic: The Little Donkey Farm’s Shi Yan.” Agenda. 2011 Apr 27. http://agendabeijing.com/shiyan/
8
Shi Yan interviews and articles.
5
6
community, not just a movement, and they are hoping to attract young people to return to
farming.9
Overall, Shi Yan has been essential in the foundation and inspiration of the CSA movement in
China through her bold visions and aspirations. Through articles, interviews, and her actions,
Shi Yan is changing the landscape of agriculture in the small ways that are adding up. Little
Donkey Farm acted as a prime operating model that helped to influence the spread of CSAs
across the country, and Shared Harvest is moving to expand Shi Yan’s dreams into reality. Shi
Yan believes that CSAs are all important first steps, but are not sufficient to the enact
revolutionary changes that China’s agricultural situation needs. The consumers need to become
more concerned with the effects of poorly-run farming methodologies not only for the safety of
the produce, but also for the soil quality, environmental damage, and harm to the ecosystem. Shi
Yan especially believes that China must have a shift in the status quo that will raise the class
rank and income levels of farmers. China is planning to relocate approximately 250,000,000
rural residents into cities over the next dozen years, and this will have a tremendous detrimental
impact on China’s food production quantity and quality.10 If the farming profession is raised to a
more elevated position, then less young people will leave the rural country areas in search of
greater opportunities in the cities. The current mentality is bleeding the farming business of
young workers. The average age of farmers in China is 50 years old, and younger people are
demanding higher wages that farmers just cannot afford.11 Shifting emphasis and revenue to the
agriculture sector will make it more appealing, and will help alleviate the problem of rural
workers moving to cities. Shi Yan recognizes the danger of losing farmers, especially for a
growing population, and her ambitious propositions would have powerful impact in shaping
China’s future if they could be carried out.12
THE URBAN AGRICULTURE MOVEMENT
The CSA movement is not the only new agriculture trend sweeping through China. Urban
agriculture is a trend that is also increasing in popularity, a movement that spans a range of
scales from the everyday person to the large-scale planning of future cities. Urban agriculture is
defined as the cultivation of food in cities and urban communities, but also encompasses
education, sustainability practices, food distribution, and management.13 There are three main
types of Urban Agriculture: subsistence (for self-consumption), market-oriented (income
generation for small scale families), and multi-functional (combined with other functions like
parks). It is important to try and integrate all forms of Urban agriculture into the modern
Chinese culture to effectively make an impact for the future of China’s food systems. These
methods generate economic, food safety, health, and environmental benefits for the cities and
citizens.
On the level of the individual, people become interested in urban agriculture for various reasons.
Many look for alternative food sources as a reaction to food safety scandals, but others follow
“Future Food: Stay or Go?” Television Trust for the Environment. 2012. tve.org.
Johnson, Ian. “China’s Great Uprooting: Moving 250 Million Into Cities.” The New York Times. 2013 Jun 15.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/world/asia/chinas-great-uprooting-moving-250-million-into-cities.html?pagewanted=all
11
“Future Food: Stay or Go?” Television Trust for the Environment. 2012. tve.org.
12
Shi Yan interviews and articles.
13
“What is Urban Agriculture?” Five Borough Farm. 2014. http://www.fiveboroughfarm.org/what-is-urban-agriculture/
9
10
the growing trend because they enjoy it as a hobby, because they are rural migrant workers who
miss farming in the cities, or because leisure agriculture is becoming fashionable. Because of the
lack of open land area in the crowded cities, balcony, rooftop, and “hanging” gardens are
growing in popularity. Beijing alone has 90 million square meters of empty rooftop space that
can be put to productive use for growing produce. People are finding creative new ways to grow
fresh fruits and vegetables in their own homes with limited space, especially to benefit their
children and family members. One man in the Zhejiang province even grows rice on the roof of
his apartment complex. The market for online urban farming materials has risen steeply, and
therefore this new trend can be seen as a huge business opportunity. Taobao, an online ordering
market (like eBay), reported its seed sales skyrocketing 280% in one year when the urban
agriculture movement began gaining momentum. The price of organic fruits and vegetables in
markets is expensive, but consumers can address this problem by investing in their own costeffective growing materials and raising their own produce. There have even been community
groups, urban farming unions, and online forums established for people to exchange information
and ideas for their methods. In 2010, the Beijing bureau government promoted the idea of urban
agriculture by offering all Beijing residents free seeds and fertilizer from their residence
committees. People are investing their time and money into this new hobby because it is one that
has measurable impact on their personal lives and safety, and even larger benefits for the overall
environment and economy. The urban agriculture movement fosters education and
empowerment of the individual, and allows people to take the growth of their food into their own
hands.14
With the increase in urbanization and technological advancement comes increased integration of
sustainability in future city plans. The government is making small steps to integrate urban
agriculture into the city environments, and some cities have established “greening” projects to
tackle the current problems of environmental damage. Blueprints for new buildings in China’s
cities are now beginning to include modifications for urban agriculture such as greenhouse space,
drip irrigation systems, natural ventilation and heating systems, and rooftop planting sites. Some
city areas, such as Shenzhenwan Avenue in Shenzhen, incorporate plots of crop fields amidst
urban landscapes such as shopping districts. In Beijing, the Xiaotangshan (a modern agricultural
science demonstration park and the largest modern agriculture park in China) boasts the newest
agricultural technologies and methodologies. The fad of urban agriculture helps to stimulate
agricultural tourism to sites such as these or countryside farms, which helps to increase public
education and interest.14
One of the most important areas to focus on as a model for urban agriculture in China is
Shenzhen. The farms in Shenzhen are located approximately 10 kilometers from the city center
in a two-tier system, the inner tier being perishable items and the outer hardier vegetables
(potatoes, carrots, onions, radishes). The city is filled with agriculture-oriented science and
technology development and demonstration plots, and many residents participate in balcony or
rooftop gardening. For example, there is a small farm within the urban square, in the middle of a
busy shopping area, where people can participate in the harvest. The arrangement of the city
decreases the amount of time it takes to transport the produce, which decreases emissions from
vehicles and increases food freshness. Shenzhen’s success makes it a wonderful example of the
union of city and country, an inspiring leader that other cities should model off of and follow.14
14
“Urban Agriculture.” City Farmer. 2014. http://www.cityfarmer.info/
There are several difficulties in urban agriculture simply because it marries two concepts that
usually do not go together: agriculture and city environments. The largest problems that urban
agriculture endeavors face are limited land (and high competition for the available plots), a low
degree of organization, soil contamination, environmental pollution, politics, overpriced markets,
water scarcity, climate change, loss of soil fertility, switch to higher-value crops, or concentrated
housing. However, the benefits of this movement far outweigh the struggles. Urban agriculture
improves food security, nutrition, and quality to participants because they can control the content
and growing methods of their produce when caring for the crops themselves. Urban farming
would also improve the city as a whole through greening, improving air quality, productive use
of urban wastes/ resources, improving urban microclimate, preventing further urban sprawl,
excess water storage, and other ecological benefits. The closer proximity of food to the market
decreases price and the energy used to transport it, and thus also increase the health of the
environment and freshness of the food. Urban agriculture would also help with poverty
alleviation, social inclusion, employment generation, and enterprise development. The
movement also leads to increased environmental education and community building, and
overall reducing the ecological footprint.15
SMALL STEPS
OF
PROGRESS
Overall, CSAs and urban agriculture in China are small (but growing) movements, and they are
small steps in the right direction towards improved food justice in China. CSAs aim to bolster
mutual trust and cooperation between farmers and consumers, while also encouraging closer
connections between people and their food. They also build a close community structure, and
hope to increase the pay and status of farmers to prevent the loss of rural workers to city
migration. Urban agriculture addresses the current problems of China’s growing cities, hoping
to integrate agriculture into the urban landscape. The movement ranges from the level of the
individual, with rooftop or balcony gardening, to the level of government municipal building
planning with urban agriculture incorporation. Urban agriculture has several measurable benefits
that also range from the consumer growing their own food to the overall improvement of China’s
suffering environment. Both movements have a strong emphasis on education, which is
important for enacting the greatest change. As China’s population increases, the subsequent
“feeding frenzy” often leads to cut corners in terms of food growth, preparation, and overall
safety. The CSA and urban agriculture movements aim to combat this trend, offering food
justice to a growing number of China’s citizens with every small step of progress.
15
“Urban Agriculture.” City Farmer. 2014. http://www.cityfarmer.info/
CSA Name
Location
Little Donkey Farm
West of Houshajian Village,
Sujiatuo Zhen,
Haidian District, Beijing,
100194
Shared Harvest
Mafang Village, Xiji, Tongzhou
District,Beijing
Rainbow Farm
Taiwan
Sunshine Earth Inc.
SunDynasty Building 1-3-1302,
Wu-Hou District, Chengdu City, China
FarmAddress: #1 Sunshine Blvd, Xing-Yi
Town, Xing-Jing County, Chengdu City,
China
Green Cow Organic Farm
Dongkezhuang Village North,
Houshayuzhen, Shunyi, Beijing
［北京，蕫各庒后沙峪］
Beijing God’s Grace
Plantation
Jiang Village, Liangxiang (Good Village)
town, Fangshan District, Beijing 102446
Notes
- First CSA founded by Shi Yan
- Second CSA founded by Shi Yan
-Email:fengxiangshouhuo@126.com
- Website: http//tianye.co/en/shared-harvest/
-Hengchung Penninsula, Pingtung County in
South Taiwan,Checheng Townshi, near the
upper reaches of Sizhong creek, close to the
Mudan neighborhood of Heze city
- email: pr@sunshineearth.com
- member of IFOAM
has organic eco-village and high-tech
farming (ex. aquaponics)
- Run by Lejen Chen and Shan En
-web: http://www.youjinong
zhuang.com/english.htm
- tel: 14,701,277,398
- email: tfyjlb@sina.com
- run by: Zhang Zhimin (Rose Zhang)
- first farm with self-sustaining ecosystem in
China, and the first organic farm certified
both in cultivating and animal feeding in
China
- certified organic farm
- member of IFOAM
Yu Mu Tian Organic Farm
Chongming Island (1.5 hours outside of
Shanghai city center)
Office: Shanghai set mentality No. 168,
Building 3, 6th floor
Tony’s Farm
No. 7007 Chuan Nan Feng Road,
Datuan Town Pu Dong New Area
Shanghai, 201311
- website: www.1mutian.com
- phone: (86) 21-61971000
- IFOAM accredited
- all crops grown in greenhouses
- offers home delivery of produce
- website: http://www.tonysfarm.com
- phone: +86 21 3127 2121
- founder/ owner: Tony Zhang
- offers home delivery of produce
- collaborated with 2010 World Expo in
Shanghai
- largest organic farm in Shanghai (1.1
million square meters)
Green Formosa Front
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Ningbo Tiansheng Farm
Ningbo City, Yinzhou District,
Gulinzhenqianyu Village
Bejing Weekend Farm
Beijing, Miyun District, Henansai
Town, Chenge Vilage, South
- email: 544517862@gg.com
- phone: 13811771549
- website: http://www.bjzmnc.com/
iVita
- Shenzhen, in the hills of the Mirs
Ecological Park
- owner: He Zheng
- email: roscoe@organicvegetables
shenzhen.com
- website: http://organicvegetables
shenzhen.com
OkLiang
Shenzhen
- Good Food Network
- Manager: Tang Zhong
- website: http://www.okliang.com
- contact for farm tours: Mr. Honey
- email: search.li@okliang.com
- tel: 18603023851
- contact for vendor: Mr.Yu
- email: gh@okliang.com
- tel: 0755-86644751-8002
Sunville
Shenzhen, Beihuan Road, Nanshan
District, Nanshan OR Huidong County,
Huizhou City, Lianhua Mountain
Nature Reserve
Mayland Farm
10 mu (0.67 hectare) of land in East
Yinjiafu Village of Shunyi, 50 km
northeast of downtown Beijing
Big Buffalo Farm
4 hours from Shanghai
Figure 1. A list of some active CSAs in China.
- Farm-to-School Project
- phone: 0584-87502342
- fax: 0574-87502341
- website: http://www.nbtsnm.com/
- multifunctional agricultural and animal
husbandry enterprise
- ecological stereoscopic farming, network
direct sales, family delivering, farm work
experience, farms for children, ecological
fishing
- web: http://www.sunville.cn
- blog: http://blog.sina.com.cn/
sunnyvillager
- owner: Zhang Heping
- acquired a national certificate for organic
farming n 2007
- found on: http://www.china.org.cn/
environment/2012-04/17/content_
25168099.htm
- directed by Cheng Cunwang
- skips supermarket, straight to peoples’
homes
- hopes to make modern farming “hip”