If you visited Pu’er, Yunnan, this spring, you would have found the coffee farmers beaming with joy. The price of green coffee beans has been climbing for a year; from 38 yuan per kilogram at the start of 2024, it rose to 66 yuan per kilogram by May—a growth rate…
From the war of words between JD and Meituan over delivery riders’ social security in April, to the new regulations mandating contributions on 1 September, the working conditions of riders have come under increasing scrutiny. Yet for many riders, social security feels like a distant concept; they are consumed by…
Foodthink’s Perspective “Digital side-dishes” primarily refers to the short videos, variety shows, classic dramas, novels, and any other entertainment consumed via smartphone while eating. It is generally believed that young people, in particular, use them to alleviate the loneliness and boredom of dining alone. However, the story of “digital side-dishes”…
Foodthink’s Take This summer, extreme heatwaves have frequently hit Sichuan. Climate change is making the Southwest region hotter and drier. Those living in the countryside understand the implications all too well: when the weather becomes too oppressive, farmers are not only forced to shift their working hours and daily routines,…
I. Climate change through the eyes of small-scale farmers: spring droughts, soil, and food storage With only three days until the summer solstice, Yang Xiuyou finally saw the arrival of heavy rain. The downpour began on the evening of 17 June, falling in intermittent bursts until the following afternoon. “After…
On 4 July, Independence Day, Donald Trump signed the “Beautiful Act”, announcing the passage of what he claims is the most critical core agenda of his second presidential term. This massive tax-cut and spending bill covers every aspect of American social issues. While Trump asserts that the “Beautiful Act” will…
Many view craft beer as a niche culture centred on individuality and a quest for unique taste. However, before the rise of industrial beers—with their singular and bland profiles—brewing methods and flavours were naturally diverse. Beyond the loss of flavour, industrial beer has depleted the microbial diversity that should be…
Foodthink Says Thirty-one elderly residents perished at a care home in Taishitun Town, Miyun, Beijing. A minibus carrying 14 female pepper pickers in Shanxi vanished in a torrential downpour. Following these record-breaking floods, each heartbreaking story serves as a warning: how are we to coexist with a nature that has…
This March, driven by uncertainty about my future career path and an eagerness for new experiences, I joined the “Ecological Agriculture Internship Programme” hosted by Foodthink and arrived at the Lexiangu Community Farm in the Fengxian District of Shanghai. Before this, my image of a farm had been shaped by…
Foodthink’s Take Severe rainstorms have once again struck Beijing. This time, the flooding swept through the northern mountainous regions. The inflow to the Miyun Reservoir reached 6,550 cubic metres per second—the highest level since the reservoir was constructed in 1959. What does this figure actually mean? Multiple villages and towns…
