I've only spent an interesting several days inward Wuhan at a conference on China's rural transformation. It was a truly producti...
I've only spent an interesting several days inward Wuhan at a conference on China's rural transformation. It was a truly productive conference, involving experts from Japan, Great Britain, United States, in addition to China. The fundamental topic was the procedure of agricultural modernization in addition to urbanization currently underway inward China, in addition to only about of the strategies the authorities is taking to steer this process.
The most interesting contributions for me were yesteryear Chinese researchers from leading universities in addition to enquiry units, who gave an insight into the ways that Chinese scholars in addition to policy makers are thinking nigh these crucial processes. The largest takeaway was the flat of endeavor beingness given to alleviation of rural poverty, yesteryear both researchers in addition to authorities agencies. I'll hand to a greater extent than details on this inward an upcoming post.
In improver to my ain contribution to the conference on the crucial utilization of social scientific discipline enquiry during this process, I was invited to hand related lectures to several large groups of students at ii universities. As on similar occasions inward the past, I was energized yesteryear the involvement in addition to reflection these students showed inward the issues of social transformation inward PRC that I was treating. The questions were really good. (All of my presentations were translated yesteryear ii talented students from Central PRC Normal University.)
As utilization of this trip I was able to remove hold a brusque excursion to Henan Province to teach exposure to only about of import developments inward Chinese agriculture. We visited ii large commercial farms specializing inward organic vegetables. The get-go farm occupies nigh ii chiliad acres, assembled through agreements alongside peasant farmers in addition to local government. The company does non "own" the nation but has rights of utilization for five-year periods. It employs nigh ane chiliad farm workers, oftentimes from the families of the original farms that gave been consolidated. (I estimated nigh ii hundred people working inward the fields nosotros saw.) The attain is of high character in addition to farm management is highly professional. It every bit good produces wheat on rotation alongside vegetable fields. This farm is ane of nigh viii farms of similar size owned yesteryear the fellowship inward unlike provinces "to remainder run a hazard in addition to seasonality". The fellowship is actively exploring institution of a similar farm inward California. The other farm was similar inward size but was described every bit a cooperative inward which peasant farmers maintained a larger flat of involvement inward the farm process. This farm volition attain specialty items including fruit, vegetables, in addition to blueberries.
This seems similar a goodness indication of ane probable hereafter for Chinese agriculture: consolidated land, moderate flat of mechanization, skillful management, high productivity. Our grouping was able to beak alongside a local homo inward a nearby village, the uncle of ane of the faculty hosts. He was a one-time headmaster of the hamlet schoolhouse who had returned to farming later retirement. His domicile inward the hamlet was concrete block, nicely furnished alongside 5 rooms in addition to a pocket-size courtyard. We asked him whether the peasants whose nation had been absorbed yesteryear the consolidation for these large farms were satisfied. He was adamant they were because it permitted only about flat of income from the lease spell permitting immature people to teach out the hamlet for higher income inward the urban sector (as utilization of China's large cast of migrant workers inward urban manufacture in addition to construction).
All inward all, a really stimulating exposure to ane of the most of import processes underway inward PRC today in addition to for the adjacent few decades.
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