Science and Technology Backs Urban Agriculture

Tongzhou is one of the fastest growing areas in suburban Beijing. Located in southeastern Beijing, it has been traditionally known as the capital city’s “eastern gate.” It lies at the north end of the famous Grand Canal and at the eastern end of Chang’an Avenue and the city’s Batong subway line. Tongzhou is 37 kilometres wide, east to west, and 48 kilometres from north to south. It covers 906.27 square kilometres which accounts for 5.55 percent of Beijing’s total territory and 14.3 percent of Beijing’s plains area. Tongzhou has 11 towns and 4 communities, with a total population of 870,000.

 In 2005, the Document No. 1 issued by central government brought forth the idea to “stimulate scientific and technological innovations in agriculture and increase the scientific and technological content of agriculture.” The Beijing Municipal Government proposed the launch of three programmes “to integrate scientific and technological resources in agriculture, carry out scientific and technological training for farmers and initiate scientific and technological projects for farmers” to channel scientific and technological resources to suburban areas.

The Tongzhou District Government is working hard to develop the emerging city’s agricultural industries. In 2004, the output value of the first industry (agriculture) of Tongzhou rose to 1.25 billion yuan (US$152 million). The output value of the second industry (manufacturing) was 5.84 billion yuan (US$712 million) and third industry (services) output was reported at 5.14 billion yuan (US$627 million).

Urban agriculture varies from traditional agriculture; the biggest difference is in the high efficiency, high quality and ecological soundness of urban agriculture’s produce. Tongzhou District is backing the development of emerging urban agricultural ideas and techniques with the support of science and technology, funding, policy creation, administration and by fostering the creation of guilds. According to the deputy head of Tongzhou DistrictYu Shijiang, in the next three years, the Tongzhou District Government will add scientific and technological personnel, popularize scientific and technological knowledge, achieve 80-percent new species coverage and ensure at least a 10 percent annual increase to the farmers’ revenue using scientific and technological strategies.

Vegetable planting, animal husbandry, the cultivation of fruit and seeding are been considered the pillar industries of the emerging city’s agriculture. The Tongzhou government’s will initiate a series of scientific and technological service plans for the pillar industries and to ensure that farmers can be well-off with the help of science and technology and the development of city agriculture.

The government will actively promote cooperation between agricultural enterprises and scientific research institutes and develop green vegetables free of pollution, managed through breeding, fertilizing, sorting and packaging. In addition, new species of pears, cherries and grapes, but also new projects and technologies, including aquarium fish, milk cows, mutton and carrion crows, will be introduced by the government. The new projects and technologies also include milk cow embryo transplantation, and pollution-free bioorganic fertilizer.

Relying on science and technology to develop urban agriculture begins with the introduction of pollution-free projects but ends in the popularization of scientific and technological knowledge and the transformation of achievements in scientific research. Using “Spark Schools” and distant education stations in rural areas, the district plans to provide regular training in accordance with farmers’ specific needs. In addition, scientific and technological service cars will be made available in the field to offer on-the-spot service to farmers to spread agricultural scientific and technological knowledge. 

Applying the fruits of scientific research is significant for the revitalization of agriculture through science and technology. Nine demonstration bases have been founded in Tongzhou District. Technology introduction; familiarization, experiments and demonstrations are being used districtwide as soon as approved technologies are made available.

As returns to investment are very low in agriculture, it is unrealistic to rely on private investment and social financing. Capital support and policy preferences reflect the encouragement of the government for the development of urban agriculture relying on science and technology. Successful projects with capital and policy support of the government have found their way outside China and onto the international market.  

People familiar with Tongzhou District know that there is a Beijing Jing Dong Canal Agricultural Produce Distribution Centre in Tongzhou District. The centre was set up in 2001 with the support of the district and town governments. Now, more than 1,400 employees work in the distribution centre and it supplies more than 20 countries in the world and a dozen cities in China with 60,000 tons of vegetables annually. Its exports are valued at more than 30 million yuan (US$3.66 million). The distribution centre has obtained the National Quality Health Safety All-Roundly Qualified Food Certificate and China Fine Quality Food Certificate, issued by the China National Food Industry Association（CNFIA）. Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, fresh kidney beans, mushrooms, romaine lettuce and cauliflower produced by the centre have qualified for “Green Food” certification, issued by the Agriculture Department.

The way to victory begins with a good plan, but that is guaranteed by good supervision and monitoring. The Tongzhou District Government has created a complete supervision and monitoring system to guarantee its plans of developing agriculture through science and technology.

The first system established was an edible agricultural produce safety, quality tracing system. According to the system, edible agricultural produce production bases and primary processing enterprises must ensure quality by relying upon certain rules. Farmers must record their usage of insecticides, fertilizer, animal remedies, feed and feed additives to ensure that the produce can be retraced and to create a quality assurance system. Before produce is put on the market, edible agricultural produce production bases and the primary processing enterprises must assure, in writing to the local government and the market, that the produce is safe and of a high quality. In addition, a test-result reporting system should be established. The spot test results of edible agricultural produce, issued by the Agricultural Department, Beijing Municipal Government and the district government, will be announced districtwide. A re-test system for the enterprises, which have obtained edible agricultural produce safety certification, must be set up.

At present, there are 39 edible agricultural produce production bases and 103 products of these production bases have obtained a Beijing Edible Agricultural Produce Safety Certificate. Tongzhou sources said they would organize two re-tests and series of tracking examinations annually to check the safety and quality of the enterprises and their products mentioned above. Enterprises which fail to satisfy safety requirements will be announced. Some certificates could be withdrawn and some may be denied the right of obtaining a certificate for as long as two years.

 In order to guarantee the safety of food supplies, the Tongzhou District Government has developed a strict punishment and incentive system. In accordance with the measures, the town government will be responsible for the quality and safety of edible agricultural produces in its region. A town will get an 80,000 yuan (US$9,756) reward if they pass all the regular tests initiated by the Agricultural Department, Beijing Municipal Government and the district government during a year. The first failure will result in a deduction of 20,000 yuan (US$2,439), the second failure will lead to a deduction of 40,000 yuan (US$4,878) and the third failure will result in the denial of access to the incentive pay and those responsible will be criticized in an announcement in the district.

For the convenience of administration, the Tongzhou District Government will establish district-level pollution-free vegetable, grain, seed, edible mushroom, plant protection, tree and flower, fruit, live hog, fowl, mutton, milk cow, edible fish and agricultural machinery agricultural guilds during 2005.

It’s reported that individual farmers will be organized by the pollution-free vegetable industry association through seven vegetable-distribution enterprises in the district to standardize pollution-free production in accordance with market demands, the standardization of product standards, improve the standards of quality of vegetables, establish a brand, create advantages and further increase market shares and the competitiveness of their produce.

The edible mushroom association of Tongzhou will develop an edible mushroom industrialization project and will urge farmers to get involved in the edible mushroom production industry to increase the benefit from the first industry; cultivate, promote and strengthen the development of edible mushroom industry and establish an the edible mushroom brand. 

The plant protection association will further standardize the insecticide market and offer insecticide chain store services to safeguard farmers’ interests. In addition, the association also will do a good job in self-discipline; ensure the safe, environmentally friendly and scientific usage of insecticides and help the public feel better about the district’s agricultural products that they rely on for their nourishment.