China’s key agricultural sector starts to evolve, but can the whole country embrace the new rural economy?

Three hours’ drive from Shanghai city centre, at the mouth of the Yangtze River, a new generation of rural entrepreneurs are hoping to turn Chongming island into a hub for sustainable farming, providing a glimpse of what the future of agriculture in China could look like.

From saffron, to hairy crabs and tourism, the farms operate using green methods, while making fairly decent amounts of money, telling a different tale from the Chinese rural economy story that is often associated with relative poverty, inefficiency and excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers.

Next door to Riverside Happy Farm, the Jiang Fan cooperative is promoting an ancient agriculture method that combines raising rice and fish in the same paddy fields, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. A few kilometres from Jiang Fan, Chongming local Tang Di, whose main job is big data consultant, is running a cooperative that grows saffron crocus bulbs to be used as a herbal remedy.

“We decided on saffron because it was non-perishable and it has high value-added content,” said Tang. “And it’s also a traditional Chinese medicine that meets national [quality] standards.”