Good Food for You, the Farmers, and the Planet
Finding true organic food is getting more and more dicey. Without a holistic organic certification program in place, the “organic” label gives little assurance that store-bought products with the green seal are sustainably harvested and safe to eat.
That leaves two options to ensure the integrity of our food source: Set up our own home farm, or seek a trusted professional’s help to do most of the farming for us.
For those of us city dwellers not ready for our own backyard chicken coop, social entrepreneur Fred Young offers an alternative with the “Rainbow of Hope” project.
Responsibly grown food straight from a family farm
The “Rainbow of Hope” initiative introduces high-quality produce from the family farmers in the western Hunan mountains. Far removed from industries and urbanization, the remote farm site’s clean air and water form the foundation of a farming system based on crop rotation and organic fertilizers.
City residents sign up to sponsor one of the family farms and receive pollution-free ingredients delivered weekly to their doorstep, including mushrooms, potatoes, eggs, meats, and a variety of green produce. Participants are encouraged to visit the family they sponsor, enjoy the natural landscape, and witness eco agriculture at work.
Strengthening a village community one family at a time
In past years, China has seen an exodus of farmers abandoning rural life and moving to the city in hopes of higher pay, often leaving behind parents and children. Many tight-knit agricultural communities have dissolved into broken families.
The “Rainbow of Hope” project helps alleviate this pressing social problem by giving farmers a direct economic incentive to stay in the village. And as they switch to environmentally sustainable farming practices with the support of the sponsors, farmers benefit from much improved land yield and more reliable income.
The case for sustainable farming
Crop rotation is at the heart of sustainable and healthy food production.
On program farms, traditional Chinese techniques are combined with technology to control pests and maintain overall health of the soil. Villagers only use fertilizers that are free from toxic chemicals and follow a systematic rotating cycle of growing mushrooms, vegetables, and rice.
Sustainable food production on a larger scale also helps reduce CO2 emission and decrease the amount of smog generated in the post-harvest season. And with toxic chemicals and detergents completely eliminated from these farms, soil and water contamination is kept at a minimum.
Join the movement
Choose chemical-free, responsibly grown food and make a difference to an agricultural community. Become a sponsor of a “Rainbow of Hope” farming family.
Once you enroll in the program, place your food orders directly from a specific farm and select from an extensive list of vegetables, eggs, and meat items for weekly delivery straight to your door, generally after 2 months from your enrollment.
Learn more and sign up here: www.rainbowofhope.cn
About Fred Young, Founder, the “Rainbow of Hope” project
Fred Young is a social entrepreneur, farmer, and speaker on sustainable development and food safety topics. Native to Dingjia in western Hunan, he was the first university graduate in his community. In 2008, he left the hustle and bustle of Shanghai to return to his tranquil home village to practice organic farming.
In 2011, he started the “Rainbow of Hope” project to educate local farmers about chemical-free agricultural practices, ushering in a new economy by connecting urban markets and rural communities.
Since its inception, “Rainbow of Hope” has attracted a growing number of Dingjia farmers to sustainable and chemical-free farming methods. The program has been widely recognized by environmental groups, academia, and international media for its innovative entrepreneurship and contribution to sustainable development.
With the Chinese central government introducing a new round of poverty alleviation measures, a new wave of workers are expected to migrate back to their home villages, making it more critical to create stable jobs in Dingjia. Young sees this new labor supply as a potential turning point to expand his efforts. Last year, seven Shanghai families signed up as sponsors to pledge their support and receive fresh weekly organic delivery. In 2016, Young plans to raise the stakes to add 40 urban sponsor families and continue to improve the living standard in Dingjia.
We will shortly follow up on the above article with an interview with Fred Young. Meanwhile, help us share this project with your family, friends and colleagues.
The article was written by Green Initiatives contributing writer Winnie Leung. Connect with Winnie on LinkedIn.