Agricultural heritage from past to future
Agricultural heritage refers to distinctive farming systems shaped by long-term synergistic evolution of humans and their environment. Safeguarding this heritage is fundamentally about preserving the wisdom of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. It is indispensable for maintaining global biodiversity, ensuring food and livelihood security, and enhancing resilience against climate change.
China has achieved remarkable success in preserving agricultural heritage. Its “dynamic protection” approach has earned lofty praise from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Officials stated that through institutional innovation, policy support, and practices that integrate heritage preservation with livelihood improvement, China has demonstrated to the world how agricultural heritage systems can be a powerful engine for sustainable development.
This issue is dedicated to outlining China’s efforts and experience in preserving agricultural heritage, sharing five distinctive case studies, and exploring the potential for young people to contribute to conserving and innovating this heritage with modern technology.