China: 2000m² in Heinigou

Xingmei Long on her field in Heinigou, photo: Luise Körner

In South China there is on average 1000 m² of available arable land there per farmer and it needs to grow anything that can be consumed by the farmer and their family or otherwise can be sold at market. We have found three farmers, Xingmei Long, Ianhua Zhang and Shaolan Zhang, who have volunteered a piece of the their land to demonstrate the 2000 m² idea.

All three farmers live in Heinigou, a village near Kunming, Southern China. Each farmer provides for their families by themselves. While all the farmers grow maize, Xingmei Long grows a regional type of potato, Ianhua Zhang also grows various types of cabbage and turnips and lastly, Shaolan Zhang produces tobacco as well. They all breed pigs and chickens and all the animals are free to roam around. In the past farmers had cultivated mostly rice in these parts of China, but due to frequent droughts they have switched to other more reliable crops.

Our partner organisation PEAC (Pesticides Eco-Altenatives Network) is supporting the project site at Heinigou and shares the stories and events happening on the 2000 m² field in Heinigou in our blog.