It's really a late news, late for more than one month.
I ask your pardon to that, because we are new to this
electronic world.
I hope to send you a new version on time in near future.
Electronically yours,
Ming Fang
WSAA China (BAU) Branch
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NEWSLETTER OF WSAA BAU BRANCH
December 9, 1994
Volume1.1
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INSIDE:
* Inauguration of WSAA China BAU Branch
* Addressing from Professor Cheng Xu at the
Inauguration Ceremony
* Congratulations from Hebei Agriculural University
* Review of past works
* Echo: reactions from all over the country
* Hello
Inauguration of WSAA China BAU Branch
===========================================================
The World Sustainable Agriculture Association China
(Beijing Agricultural University) Branch was inaugurated on
October 8, 1994 at Beijing Agricultural University, Beijing,
China.
About 150 people presented at the inauguration ceremony.
The guests included BAU faculties, researchers from
fraternal institutions in Beijing and other provinces, the
farmers representatives from suburban villages of Beijing,
and the visitors from the United States, Italy, France,
Germany and Korea. Professor He Kang and Professor
Xiang ChongYang, the former Minister and the former vice
Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, the
President of BAU, Professor Shi Yuanchun, the Executive
Vice President of WSAA, Dr. Patrick Madden also at-
tended.
President Shi Yaunchun gave his speeches addressing the
further works in sustainable agriculture and rural devel-
opment. He also declared his strong support to the
collaboration between BAU and WSAA.
Dr.Patric Madden introduced the purpose and the belief of
WSAA, which is dedicated to the well being of mankind in
harmony with Nature, through the world wide promotion of
sustainable agriculture, holistic and scientific approaches to
health, and the arts and humanities.
The keynote speeches of Professor Cheng Xu, the Vice
President of BAU and the Director of WSAA China (BAU)
Branch, gave a review of the past preparation works and
the future plan of the Branch.
After the speeches, the video Life in the soil, a present
from MOA international was showed. After an arduous
work, this thought provocative video has been translated
with Chinese subtitles. A celebration banquet was held at
Yanshan Hotel in the evening.
On the following day, there was an international workshop,
during the one-day workshop, about 30 scientists from
China and foreign countries exchanged their ideas and
experiences in the ideology and the practice of sustainable
agriculture.
The inauguration was a success, an area liaison center for
promoting the sustain-able agricultural research and
extension was formally set up, the WSAA China(BAU)
Branch welcome all the friends who are at home and
abroad as well as sharing the commitment to sustainable
agriculture enthusiastically.
Addressing from Professor Cheng Xu at Inauguration
Ceremony
===========================================================
It is my pleasure to address the working report of the
preparation on WSAA China (BAU) Branch.
Before the initial contacting with WSAA, some teachers of
BAU had already conducted researches on sustainable
agriculture, from various aspects.
In May of 1993, Mr.Ogata, the Executive Director, Board of
Directors WSAA and Mr.Kawasaki visited BAU, and met
more than 10 scientists who have been involved in
sustainable agriculture. They also visited two on-site
experiment projects conducted at two demonstration
villages, which were executed by BAU scientists in the past
years. After that, WSAA together with MOA International
dedicated to develop the relationship with BAU. The result
was a formal visiting to MOA in Japan made by Cheng Xu,
Professor and Vice President of BAU, who at that time was
the leader of BAU sustainable agriculture initiative.
According to the memorandum of understanding signed by
Mr.Kawai, Chairman of WSAA and Professor Cheng, the
WSAA China Branch has to be built at Beijing Agricultural
University within one year.
During the preparing period, we organized six workshops,
seminars and symposiums. A lot of foreign experts had
been invited to give lectures, more than 100 (accumulated)
Chinese (including BAU) scholars from all over the country
took part in these activities. We appreciate deeply the
credits and the support they given from our colleagues.
It could be clear from the above-mentioned facts that
WSAA China (BAU) Branch is such a collective aiming at
the promotion of academic and information exchange at
home and abroad. Its mission focuses on promoting
sustainable agriculture in China. By means of organizing
interdisciplinary effort in both BAU and other Chinese
institutions.In the forthcoming year, WSAA China (BAU)
Branch will:
* To compile a newsletter, a lot of essays and
information from our colleagues at home and abroad
will be published.
* To organize continuously specific seminars, and
international workshops.To construct the on-site
research network, to realize sustainable agriculture
with Chinese characters- CEA (Chinese Ecological
Agriculture).
* To select and dispatch excellent farmers going
abroad to make study trip on sustainable agriculture,
under the financial support of WSAA and MOA.
* To submit research proposals to international donor
organizations based on collaborated relations with
other chapters in China.
Sustainable agriculture and rural development are most
arduous tasks. We aresure that only through extensive
collaboration can this mission be realized. WSAA China
(BAU) Branch would like intensify the cooperation with all
people who are interested in sustainable agriculture. This
should be a glorious target worthy of efforts.
Congratulations from the Hebei Agricultural University
===========================================================
At the time of inaugurating the WSAA China Branch, may
we send the warmest congratulations!
The inauguration of the Branch is a mile stone of
incorporating the Chinas sustainable agricultural research
with the world. It has the significance in developing the high
quality, productive and efficient agriculture, it will also
promoting the modernization of agriculture and rural
construction. We hope the setting up of the WSAA China
Branch will evoke more people to concern about the
agricultural ecosystems and environment. We also hope to
cooperate with all the colleagues at home and abroad to
conduct a thorough investigation into the sustainable
agriculture and contribute our efforts to the sustainable
development of Chinese agriculture.
Review of Past Works
===========================================================
Some Works during the Preparation Period of the Branch
* Professor Cheng Xu visited MOA international in
June, 1993, singed a memorandum of understanding
on behalf of Beijing Agricultural University and
WSAA & MOA, expressing the willingness of estab
lishing the relationship among 3 parties.
* To organize a big scale international conference on
integrated management of resource for sustainable
agriculture at Grand hotel, Beijing in September
1993. More than 80 foreign scholars including
Dr.Patrick Madden attended, Prof.He Kang, the
former minister of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture
also presented. Prof. Cheng Xu was elected as
secretary general and gave a speech on agricultural
sustainability of China.
* During the preparing period, the Branch organized
other five workshops and seminars which were
closely related to sustainable agriculture and rural
development. The Branch invited Mr.Roger Bro
baum, vice director of WSAA to give a seminar on
organic food production in the US and its unified
standardization. Prof.Crassweller, a Penn State
University s research fellow, who is deeply involved
in computerized information system for sustainable
agriculture, was invited to visit BAU and conducted a
four-day seminar introducing his achievement. We
also invited Prof. Blackmur, an Iowa State
Universitys specialist of plant nutrition and reduced
N-input system, a Penn State University Group, and
a Winrock International agriculture institute team
conducted about one week workshop, separately
introducing various aspects of sustainable
agriculture. For each activity, more than 30 domestic
scholars were invited.
* According to the requirement of WSAA, an E-mail
system has been set up before the inauguration
ceremony. It should not been forgot that till now most
Chinas universities are still not equipped with such
an advanced instrument.
* Since the fantastic video tape of Life in Soil
produced by MOA is so educational, we decided to
translate it into Chinese, so as to let more people to
understand the philosophy of Natural Farming. The
video show on the inauguration ceremony is already
with the Chinese characters on the screen.
* Last May, when IFOAM ( International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movement) held a workshop at
BAU, the Branch members were actively involved in.
Professor Cheng Xu met Mr.Harding, Chairman of
IFOAM after he returned from a study tour in the US
where he visited WSAA Los Angeles Office.
* Under the assistance of MOA International, five BAU
scholars, who are also members of WSAA China
(BAU) Branch, headed by Associate Professor Shen
Dezhong made a study trip to Ohito Farm, Japan.
They stayed there for about one month and also
visited some other nature farming villages and
households, gaining much understanding about
nature farming.
* To select Doudian village and Quzhou County as
experimental sites of sustainable agriculture and
rural development. Professors from Clemson (North
Carolina) University, USA and Wegeningen
Agricultural University, the Netherlands visited these
two sites and expressed their wishes to collaborate
with BAU scientists.
* To compile a selected works of Professor Cheng
Xus papers on sustainable agriculture, 29 papers
and articles introducing sustainable agriculture
written from 1986 to 1994 have been collected.
* To host a delegation headed by Dr.John Haberan,
one of the WSAA Directors and the President of
Rodale Institute. The delegation which is organized
by Peoples Ambassador, consisted of 16 scholars,
farmers, extension specialists and teachers from the
US and other countries. They studied the situation
of Chinas agricture, Prof.Cheng Xu and Prof. Han
Chunru met them twice and answered a lot of
questions about Chinas agricultural sustainability.
Field Trip Impression of Nature Farming In Japan
===========================================================
Shen DeZhong
Associate Professor
Dept. Ecology & Environmental Sciences
Beijing Agricultural University
My colleagues and I, invited by WSAA Headquarter, visited
Japan Nature Farming International Research Foundation
(NFIRF) from September 5 to October 4, 1994. Apart from
3 weeks studies on Ohito Experimental Farm, we make a
trip to visited many other natural farms, experimental
stations and wholesale markets which sales natural food.
The natrual farming in Japan and NFIRF gave us quite
deep impressions.
NFIRF has a very effective system to promote Nature
Farming, including its Regional offices (prefecture
representatives) and Nature Farming Branch Co-
operatives (Farmers) in all over the Japan.
In this 6 days trip, we travelled about 1500 km and visited 5
prefectures and more than 10 MOA branches. We met
many prefecture representatives of NFIRF, leaders of
branches and farmers. We had deep impression and
understanding of their working efficiency. Whenever we
arrived a prefecture, the representatives met us on time
and arranged our visits to many places and peoples in quite
limited times.
NFIRF is an organisation that serves the farmers who want
to practice Nature Farming and Low Input farming. NFIRF
gives whole-hearted help to the farmers and solves their
problems. The farmers love and esteem NFIRF. There is a
close relationship between NFIRF and the farmers. For
example, Mr. Mikami, an apple farmer in Aomori, who
adopted the practice of organic farming but met a lot of
difficulties and almost failed. At last he met the
representatives of NFIRF and they help him to solve those
problems. After that, Mr.Mikami not only studies Nature
Farming himself, but also sent his son to the Nature
Farming School on the Ohito Research Farm to study more
Nature Farming techniques. Now he is successful in his low
input apple production.
Nature Farming has many disciples who dedicated to the
cause of protection of the environment and the people's
health. They know how to realise their ideal other than
making money. Such as Mr. Shikakura, the director of a
bean-curd factory in Kamiizumi-mura of Saitama
Prefecture. Mr.Shikakura is an aggressive young man, he
makes high quality bean-curds and wins the admiration
from the peoples of same occupation. In a very short time,
he mastered the bean curd-making techniques and
developed some unique oness and wishes to export his
products abroad. Mr.Mikami, who has been mentioned
above, divides his apple farm into 3 parts (no pesticide, 2
sprays and 3 sprays). Although it is very difficult to produce
apples without using any pesticide, he continued the
experiments and was not afraid of the failure. He tried a lot
of methods to control pests and has got the primary
achievement.
Nature Farming is a difficult cause. NFIRF has done its best
to win the understanding and has been successful. I would
like to tell my Chinese colleagues that practising of Nature
Farming needs great effort and it is not for money. Due to
the works of NFIRF, many people get to know the
importance of Nature Farming and sustainable agriculture.
The various activities of Nature Farming Co-operatives
combine the farmers with food processors, market dealers
and consumers. For example, Tonosho Branch in Chiba
Prefecture organised consumers to harvest the sweet
potatoes. This has successfully strengthened the
relationship between the Nature Farming producers and the
consumers. It makes more consumers to know Nature
Farming and prefer Nature Farming products.
NFIRF do have a series of mature techniques for Nature
Farming practices. As long as farmers follow these
techniques, they may get success. When visiting the
vegetable field without application of pesticides, we have
not found any disease and pest, it is really incredible.
The arrangement of the field trip is very good, it lets us visit
many branches of NFIRF and farmers, and also helps us to
know Nature Farming systems and practices as much as
possible. We have seen many products, processing
factories, markets and various crops (egg-plant, cucumber,
paddy rice, pears, apples, Welsh onions, sweet potatoes,
Chinese chives, etc.). NFIRF staffs who organised the trip
have tried their best to make our journey very happy. We
sincerely appreciate the NFIRF to arrange such a wonderful
and unforgettable field trip.
Echo
===========================================================
Reactions from all over the country:
Dr. Hu Fong, from the Department of Natural Resources
and Environment Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University
(NAU), reported in his letter that " thank you very much for
providing us with such a good opportunity to learn more
things about sustainable agriculture," "Under the influence
of establishment of WSAA China (BAU) Branch, the
Research & Development Center for Sustainable
Agriculture (RDCSA) has been also built at the eve of 80th
anniversary of NAU (October 15, 1994).
Zhang RenWu, a senior research fellow and section Head
of Agro-ecology Division, Research Institute of Agro-
environment, under the Ministry of Agriculture, at Tianjin
Municipality, expressed his wishes in such a passage of the
letter: " The establishing of WSAA China (BAU) Branch
contributes to sustainable agriculture in China, and
presents a new beginning. We would like to collaborate you
and make all our efforts for it."
Dr. Liang Weili, an Associate Professor of Hebei
Agricultural University made an assessment on the
inauguration as "this ceremony, together with the small
international workshop were all very successful, and I
myself had learnt a lot from these events."
Professor Chen Houji, a senior research fellow of Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Science, conveys his sincere
congratulation, and suggested that he and his colleagues
wish to open a WSAA China chapter in Jiangxi Academy of
Agricultural Science, with a mission of searching the
approach in harnessing red soil, a major soil type in
southeast area of China with very low pH and poor physical
performance, under the guidance of sustainable agriculture
principles.
Professor Cheng Xu received a lot of letters requesting his
book : Selected Works in Sustainable Agriculture ,a special
preparation for the inauguration.
Hello!
===========================================================
May I request the pleasure of your participant in publishing
this newsletter? We welcome cordially to all the friends who
interested in the issue of China's sustainable agriculture
development. It will be greatly appreciated if you send us
your articles, news, short comments, and any thing in any
style related to sustainable agriculture. Your short comments
will be include into the Echo next time.
Sincerely yours
Ming Fang
The Editor
This newsletter is published at :
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WSAA China (BAU) Branch
Beijing Agricultural University
Beijing 100094, P.R.China
Telephone: 86-1-2582244 ext 471
Provisional Fax/Tel:86-1-2584005
E-mail: chengxu@bepc2.ihep.ac.cn
Correspondent: Mr. Ming Fang
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