Registration Closes 25 May: Let’s Learn Eco-Agriculture Techniques That Are Good to Grow and Good to Sell

Registration for the Local Eco-agriculture Systems Co-learning Camp – Jiangxi session closes on 25 May 2026. Only a handful of places remain, so please register as soon as possible.

As a public-interest platform advocating sustainable food and farming systems, Foodthink published “Tell Us: What Kind of Eco-agriculture Technical Training Do You Need?” in early 2024, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the eco-agriculture technical needs of small- and medium-scale ecological farmers and farmer cooperatives across the country.

Subsequently, Foodthink held two editions of the Local Eco-agriculture Systems Co-learning Camp in two communities in Guangdong, in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

● The first co-learning camp was held at Xianniangxi, Conghua, Guangzhou. Photography: Atang

● Training session. The second co-learning camp was held at Huiling Farm, Conghua, Guangzhou. Photography: Lingyu

After the co-learning camp ended, many participants said the greatest takeaway was twofold: on the one hand, the camp clarified the fundamental principles of ecological cultivation that they had “ heard many times but never truly understood”; on the other, through practical sessions on composting, enzyme preparations, soil and field observation, they were able to put those principles into practice and take them back to their own farms.

For farming friends already on the ecological path, this was not merely a technical training but a way of weaving their previously scattered experiences into a coherent system: some gained a clearer understanding of the elements plants need to grow, finally grasping the underlying logic of composting and making enzyme preparations, learning how to make amino-acid fertilisers such as compost-based and fish protein types, as well as how “ good soil is actually built”; others found inspiration in crop management, such as the timing for using Duomaojun or how field observation can improve fruit sugar content (°Brix). Participants starting from scratch said that the hands-on sessions making enzyme preparations and compost, combining theory with practice, made the learning feel deeply rewarding.

● Group practice: making enzyme preparations, Duomaojun, and more. Photography: Wang Juan

◉ Making compost, starting with gathering available raw materials from the surroundings. Photography: Liu Yiyue, liuyang, Lingyu

Beyond agricultural techniques, participants also spoke freely during the evening discussion sessions. Through sharing and dialogue, they gained a deeper understanding of the market and opened up new perspectives: where learning techniques had once focused mainly on the field, this time they began to see what consumers want from ecological agriculture, recognising that making products tasty, attractive, and affordable is equally important.

More importantly, many described the experience as a “ meeting of fellow travellers”. Some gained kindred companions; others, through the sharing of frontline farmers, developed a clearer sense of direction for their future farming methods and scale; and some were “ poured cold water over” by reality in the exchanges, prompting them to ask themselves seriously: in continuing ecological agriculture, what do I truly want? This collaborative learning even carried over into daily life: one participant began communicating with family as a “ collaborator”, seeking possibilities for cooperation through listening and asking questions.

In fact, these are also the directions the co-learning camp has been striving toward all along.

In the ecological agriculture community, techniques are divided into many schools, each with its own theoretical system and technical standards. Much like martial arts sects, once you join one school, you can easily find yourself limited within it.

The two “ practitioner-experts” of the co-learning camp have been deeply engaged in the industry for over twenty years. We have always believed that the theory and techniques of ecological agriculture should serve farmers, rather than becoming a barrier or cost of entry into the field.

Then there is the question: is it harder to grow it or to sell it? For small ecological farmers in China, this is undoubtedly a “ cosmic question” on par with “ which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

And when this cosmic question is compounded by a host of external factors troubling farmers – climate change, downgrading consumption, channel price squeezing, labour shortages, and rising production costs – it truly becomes difficulty stacked upon difficulty.

An increasing number of small farmers are also realising that, in the face of ever-more severe climate and market challenges, farming friends need to improve their ecological agriculture techniques and adopt low-cost, efficient, easy-to-master, and more resilient farming methods to produce high-quality products.

Therefore, the co-learning camp has been trying to connect fundamental science, field practice, market, and people – making things clearer for those already in the field, more certain for those wanting to transition, and enabling beginners to systematically understand what ecological agriculture is and how to get started.

Building on feedback from past participants, the co-learning camp sets out once more. From 4 to 6 June 2026, we will again invite two “ practitioner-experts” who have accumulated rich experience in “ small-farmer-friendly” agricultural technical training, along with farm mentors who have grown through years of practice and co-learning, to hold a three-day Local Eco-agriculture Systems Co-learning Camp in Yangqiao Village, Lianhua County, Pingxiang, Jiangxi, helping more farming friends who are already in ecological agriculture or wish to transition in that direction to improve their techniques and clarify their direction of development.

Over these few days, let us find together a balance in our production techniques and methods – ones that address the issues farmers care about most: yield, quality, and cost.

◉ Digging a pit by hand to observe the soil. Photography: Liu Yiyue

– Basic Information –

– Venue –

Yangqiao Village, Lianhua County, Pingxiang, Jiangxi

– Training Dates –

2025.6.04-6.06

Three days in total (excluding travel and check-in time)

– Who We Are Looking For –

• Heads of family farms in the process of transitioning or already transitioned (primarily relying on family labour)

• Heads of commercial farms & key technical staff (moderate scale, diverse operations)

• Core members of production cooperatives (key technical staff preferred)

• Practitioners from public-interest organisations looking to lead their communities in an ecological agriculture transition

* Maximum 20 participants

Given the regional nature of agriculture,

Priority will be given to farming friends from Jiangxi, Guangdong and Guangxi, and Hubei and Hunan.

– Co-learning Content –

1. Localised Eco-agriculture Technical Theory and Practice

The theoretical learning follows three main threads: soil, plants, and animals. These three threads connect specific agricultural case studies, bridging practical experience with underlying principles and mechanisms. By understanding the role and position of different techniques within the agricultural production ecosystem, we can better guide the “ actions and decisions” in our everyday farming, finding a path through balance.

The hands-on training focuses on two main areas: composting and liquid fertilisers. Composting covers aerobic composting and semi-anaerobic composting; liquid fertilisers mainly include: amino-acid fertilisers, enzyme preparations, insect-repellent preparations, and insect-suppressing/pathogen-controlling preparations.

Co-learning camp participants will work in small groups. The hands-on exercises will be completed in two parts: a guided task (where the organisers provide the materials needed to make fertiliser) and a free-form section (where participants source materials locally).

2. Case Studies: Returning Home to Farm

Anyone in ecological agriculture will encounter the question of livelihood. Of course, everyone defines “ livelihood” differently – some aspire to build a full “ supply chain”, while others simply want to “ settle down and make a life”. Everyone’ s circumstances and capabilities differ, but we know that most of our friends lack the conditions to “ go big and strong”. That is why our co-learning camp focuses more on sharing experiences that the “ majority” can draw on – a path for those who want to return to the countryside and build a life there.

3. How to “Start from Scratch”: Your First Step into Farming

What should you do first when getting into ecological agriculture? Market research? Industry planning? Finding a site? Figuring out what you have to work with? Going out to learn and gain experience? Or figuring it out yourself as you go?

If it feels like a tangle of ropes is holding back your thoughts, we welcome you to come and have a chat together – about what to do when you want to take that first step but don’ t know which foot to put forward.

– Registration Deadline –

From now until 25 May 2026

Registration closes when all places are filled.

Friends who need to apply for a scholarship please submit your application by 21 May

– Fees –

¥1,840 per person (includes a ¥1,600 training fee and ¥240 for meals over the three-day programme; travel and accommodation not included). When two people register together, each person receives a ¥200 discount.

We will also offer two types of scholarship for farming friends running smaller operations who have already begun their transition:

• Half scholarship: Half-scholarship participants pay only ¥1,040 (half training fee + meals); travel and accommodation not included.

• Full scholarship: Training fee and board fully waived; participants’ travel costs not covered.

* Scholarship application deadline: 21 May. Applications will close once funded places are filled;

* If you wish to apply for a scholarship, please tick the relevant box on the registration form. We will confirm your specific fee when we contact you.

– Registration –

Please verify that your contact details are correct in the registration form

After registration, we will get in touch with you as soon as possible

– Schedule –

– Accommodation –

Yangqiao Village has only one guesthouse: 1 single room (¥110/day), 3 standard double rooms (¥110/day), and 1 quadruple room (¥220/day). You can make a reservation at the time of registration; the organising team can help book rooms, and participants share the room cost.

Alternatively, you can stay with local villagers at a cost of ¥70 per single room. Reservations can be made at registration; the organising team can assist with bookings.

– Getting There –

We recommend taking the high-speed rail to Pingxiang North Station, then searching for the “Lianhua Chuxing” mini-program to book a business van online. Select the route “Pingxiang North – Lianhua” and choose Fanglou Town as your drop-off point (approximately one hour for the full journey). We recommend carpooling with around eight people. Upon arrival, you can take a bus (Lianhua to Yangqiao route) directly to Yangqiao Village (the terminus, five kilometres, about ten minutes), or share a taxi straight to the village.

If travelling by air, we recommend landing in Changsha and then transferring to the high-speed rail to Pingxiang North.

– Collaborators –

Collaborator:

Luo Lishuang

From Baise, Guangxi; born in the 1980s. Senior agricultural technician. Began working in ecological agriculture production and research in 2008. From 2010 to 2020, served as Chief Technical Advisor on the technology platform of Guangxi Leming Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., responsible for guiding clients on cultivation issues. In 2015–2018, founded the public-interest organisation “Hope Oasis”, promoting experimental transition to ecological fruit-tree production among grassroots communities in Guangxi. In 2019, returned home to establish Huashan Farm. From 2020 to 2022, joined the Guangxi Guoren Rural Poverty Alleviation and Development Centre, working with the team to explore localising ecological agriculture techniques and farmer training. In 2021–2022, joined Guangxi Gaoming Group as Chief Technical Advisor, guiding the group’s ecological production transition and directly overseeing the conversion of a 360-mu experimental field, with very good results.

Over fifteen years in the profession, focused primarily on soil and ecological cultivation research. Extensive hands-on work has built up rich practical experience and a deep, reflective understanding of ecological farming.

Prefers a co-learning teaching approach, helping you understand natural phenomena through practice and reflection, discover the fundamental patterns of nature through analysis and discussion, and continually recognise your own relationship with nature through equal dialogue – exploring together how to achieve balance between crops and the natural world, and harmonious development between people and nature.

Collaborator:

Huang Guoliang

From Hepu, Guangxi; born in the 1980s. From 2005, worked with the Rural Construction Centre at Renmin University of China and participated in establishing the Ecological Agriculture Studio at the Yan Yangchu Rural Construction College. In 2008, co-founded the country’s first CSA farm – the Beijing Little Donkey Citizen Farm. In 2012, established an ecological restaurant in Chongqing – the Chongqing Guoren Dapinhuo Community Canteen. In 2013, joined the Guangxi Office of Community Partners (HK), with work focused on promoting ecological agriculture and the protection and transmission of local varieties. Helped establish “Guizai Fangxiang Youzhong”, a local-variety protection platform in Guangxi, and used the platform to organise exchange activities for leading farmers practising ecological agriculture across and beyond the province. In 2017, co-founded Guangxi Nanning Shiyuanyuan Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd. (Nanning Urban Farm Market), the first online and offline platform in Guangxi dedicated to displaying and trading ecological farm products through organising collective purchases by urban consumers. In 2018, established the Guangxi Guoren Rural Poverty Alleviation and Development Centre and led its day-to-day operations. From 2023, continuing to explore the localisation of ecological agriculture techniques and farmer training as an independent practitioner.

Collaborator:

Liao Fenglian

From Jiangxi, currently working in Guangdong as Director of the Guangzhou Shengeng Community Development Department. Entered the field of rural social work after graduating in 2016, focusing on cultivating rural self-organisations, climate change, ecological agriculture and cooperative economics, and rural elderly care. In 2018, she met Teacher Luo and invited them to deliver ecological agriculture technical training in the project village; most of her ecological agriculture knowledge comes from Teacher Luo. Since then, she has assisted with course delivery at co-learning camps on multiple occasions. Looking ahead, she hopes to become a rural organiser with solid cultivation skills and a certain level of farm-product marketing ability.

Farming Friend Mentor:

Wei Guanghai

From Du’an, Guangxi; born in the 1980s. After graduating in 2008, worked in a factory and rose to a management position, but because of a shy disposition and dislike of the factory work atmosphere, returned home in 2012 to start growing pomelo. In 2018, came into contact with ecological agriculture through staff at the Du’an Lügen Public-Interest Federation and began transitioning production. In 2020, attended a soil course and followed Teacher Luo to study ecological agriculture techniques and practice in greater depth. During this period, family members went from not understanding to full support, and in the process he influenced a group of local young people’s views on farming, encouraging them to try transitioning as well.

Farming Friend Mentor:

Zhou Ciyu

From Guilin, Guangxi; born in the 1980s. Graduated in Environmental Art Design. Self-employed, having run a brewing factory, a yuba (dried tofu skin) factory, a rice-noodle factory, and a restaurant, among other ventures. After all that experience, she ultimately chose to return home with her partner in 2016 to practise ecological agriculture and established Citang Farm. Starting from scratch, she and her partner travelled around visiting and learning about ecological agriculture and artisanal processing techniques. After a decade of work, she has finally found an ecological agriculture path that suits her small family, and it is getting steadier by the year.

Farming Friend Mentor:

Liao Hai

From Ganzhou, Jiangxi; born after 1995. Returned home at the end of 2019 for family reasons and took over the family orchard, beginning to learn citrus cultivation and management. From 2021, gradually started exploring and practising ecological agriculture. The family primarily grows navel oranges and Cui Mi kumquat, and also keeps a dozen or so cattle. Limited by cultivation techniques and the impact of Huanglongbing (citrus greening disease), the orchard has not yet fully transitioned to ecological agriculture. In 2023, he began an ecological transition experiment in a relatively isolated navel-orange grove on a hillside. He hopes to keep refining his cultivation skills and, in the future, achieve a full ecological transition for the entire orchard.