Towards sustainable agriculture? Local level reliance on economic networks and the consequences for China’s agricultural modernisation pathway

Abstract

In recent years, the Chinese central government has demonstrated a strong willingness to implement solutions to alleviate environmental issues caused by unsustainable agricultural practices. However, in spite of a wish to better balance the three goals of agriculture – food security, stability and sustainability – changing farming practices at the local level has proven to be a particularly hard task. This article, which draws on interviews conducted in Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangxi, shows that patterns of relationships established in rural areas are key elements for the successful implementation of agricultural change. The underlying argument is that local patterns of power have led to an over-reliance of local governments on food processing and retail enterprises. This over-reliance, which has turned into a real modus operandi of local governments to reinvestigate agricultural production activities in rural areas, is partially responsible for China’s difficulties in creating sustainable pathways for agricultural modernisation.