Chinese 'New Farmer' Advocates Regenerative Agriculture at OECD Forum

On June 25, 2024, the Business at OECD (BIAC) Forum on Agriculture Sustainability and Green Growth in China was held. The forum aimed to establish a significant platform for constructive dialogue and collaboration among industry leaders and stakeholders, addressing current challenges and opportunities in innovation and regenerative agriculture, while sharing experiences on sustainable agricultural solutions.

Barbara Wang, General Manager of Hongyi Grain Cooperative and Founder of Barbara's Coffee Estate, was invited to participate in the forum as a representative of the "new farmer" generation. As a new generation agriculture professional, Wang showcased her insights on regenerative agriculture through her collaborative experiences with renowned companies like Bayer.

Barbara Wang, General Manager of Hongyi Grain Cooperative and Founder of Barbara's Coffee Estate

Wang spent many years in Canada before returning to China to join the Hongyi Grain Cooperative, gaining experience in rice cultivation. Inspired by collaborative projects with Bayer, she learned scientific approaches to agriculture, sparking her interest in becoming a "new farmer". Currently, Wang operates a farm in Yunnan, primarily growing coffee on a 30-mu (2 hectare) experimental field, while supporting local agricultural development through mountain-sourced coffee bean procurement. Her coffee project covers the entire farm-to-table chain, including cultural tourism planning and study tour collaborations.

Wang emphasized the importance of collaboration between large companies and small farms in enhancing productivity and strengthening awareness of sustainable agriculture. She highlighted innovative applications of digital technology in agriculture, such as using smartphones to remotely control irrigation systems and monitor land conditions, greatly improving farm management efficiency and precision. Wang believes that to widely promote regenerative agriculture, it is essential to strengthen concept dissemination, field testing, and result sharing to encourage more farmers to understand and adopt these sustainable agricultural practices.

In November 2023, Wang participated in a regenerative agriculture discussion organized by Bayer at the 6th China International Import Expo. She leads a rice regenerative agriculture project jointly initiated by Bayer, Nestlé and Netafim, aimed at improving soil health and water conservation. The project introduces innovative scientific cultivation methods, helping local farmers break through traditional farming models and deeply consider environmental protection and sustainable agricultural development. Bayer experts provide professional crop formulas, assisting farmers in comprehensively understanding and addressing crop growth issues, and unlocking crop potential.

Looking ahead, regenerative agriculture is not only a more innovative, efficient, and green new model of agricultural development, but will also become a powerful means for food and agricultural companies to accumulate sustainable development advantages and fulfill corporate social responsibility.

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