In Guangzhou's Haizhu district, young activists staged a play depicting a local farmer's struggles following a failed lychee harvest. Concurrently, an art exhibit highlighted the decreasing presence of lychees in local markets. These events were part of the Canton Harvest Festival on December 1, 2024, organized by NGOs focusing on urban-rural development. The festival addressed agricultural products, sustainable development, and eco-farming, with lychees, Guangdong's signature fruit, notably absent. The decline in lychee yields symbolizes the region's agrarian challenges.
Guangdong, producing over half of China's lychee output, faced a substantial decline in 2024, with harvests dropping by more than 50 percent. Extreme weather events in 2024, following China's hottest year on record in 2023, significantly impacted lychee production. Warmer winters deprived lychee trees of necessary cool temperatures, while heavy rains in April caused widespread flower and fruit drops.
Local eco-farmers and artists are exploring adaptive strategies in response to these climate challenges. In Conghua, farmer Luo reported collecting only 10 percent of his usual yield. Eco-farmer Guo Rui experienced a "total loss" in lychee production, estimating financial losses at 41,200 USD. Guo emphasizes that extreme climate events are becoming a harsh reality for farmers.
In response, Guo has improved soil health through composting with herbal residues, enhancing resilience to extreme conditions. He is also diversifying crops, and planting moisture-loving varieties like bananas and sugarcane. Wang Pengcheng, another eco-farmer, is experimenting with orchard management techniques, such as pruning and using sandbags to encourage fruit-bearing.
Artists are raising awareness of these agricultural challenges. Yang Lei collaborated with the NGO China Youth Climate Action Network to write a play about lychee crop failures, performed at the Canton Harvest Festival. Freelance artist Zhang Nianqi organized an art exhibit and discussion to engage consumers on the issue. Zhang's project aims to increase understanding of the link between food consumption and climate change.
Farmers like Wang emphasize the urgency of addressing climate change, advocating for ecological farming practices. He believes societal attitudes toward development must change to tackle climate challenges effectively. Wang asserts that everyone has a role in mitigating environmental impacts, emphasizing the collective responsibility to address climate change.
Source: The World of Chinese
