From action to theory building: an action research of rural social work practice in China

Figures & data

Table 1. The timeline of important action and outcomes.

Timeline	Actions	Outcomes
June 2006-March 2007	Group meeting, community mobilisation, traditional seed seeking	12 kinds of traditional seeds were found, 1 mu of farmland was used to experiment 3 households were willing to try
March- September 2007	Returning to traditional farming: soil turning, seedling, irrigation, transplanting, fertilisation, harvesting	Methods of ecological agriculture The manufacture of ecological pesticides Planting of old varieties were tested
September – October 2007	Publicity in urban community, rice tasting, price negotiation, sales	Output 1 ton of rice Sell 1 ton of rice Establish consumer networks in two urban communities
… …
2009	Annual constant farming activities, the establishment of cooperatives, urban-rural interaction, harvest festival activities	The producer cooperative was formally registered 14 households joined the co-operative Total area of farming reached 50 mu
2014	In addition to the above activities, focusing on expanding the cooperatives	Consolidate the regulation of the cooperative The cooperative further expanded to a membership of 50 households The total area of farming reached 150 mu

Table 2. Outcome evaluation.

Objectives	Actions	Indicators	Evidence
Searching for way of alternative development and poverty eradication	Ecological planting, cooperatives, urban-rural cooperation, fair trade	Income	Statistics
Returning to organic farming and green development	Search for traditional seeds, use old varieties, use organic fertilisers, use natural pesticides	Traditional seeds, organic fertiliser, natural pesticides	Field notes
Promoting cooperatives to protect small peasant, traditional agriculture and rural environment	Establish cooperatives, restore traditional farming, record traditional farming techniques, restore agrarian culture, protect old varieties, hold harvest festivals, field monitoring	Mutual labour, formulation of cooperation rules, establishment of community fund, cattle farming, seed species, land quality, plant changes	Statistics, field notes, interview
Promoting farmers and consumers cooperation to increase producers’ income through the equal exchange of fair trade	New rice tasting meeting, price negotiation meeting, urban-rural interactive activities, establishment of fair trade shop	Labour value, villagers’ income, sales volume of agricultural products	Statistics
Promoting Community Supporting Agriculture (CSA) to resist the capital monopoly and exploitation	Develop consumer networks, price negotiation meetings, urban-rural interactive activities, and establish fair trade stores	Villagers’ income, product price, sales volume of agricultural products, consumers’ evaluation	Statistics, interview

Table 3. Income of households before and after joining the cooperative.

Cooperative member	Farmland area (mu)	Annual income before joining cooperative, 2014 (CNY)	Annual income after joining cooperative, 2017 (CNY)	Crops planted
1	2	3,500	8,200	Black rice, hongyou rice
2	3	5,500	12,000	Black rice, hongyou Rice, red yeast rice
3	2	3,500	8,560	Black rice
4	1	1,800	3,800	Hongyou rice
5	1.5	2,400	2,800	Hongyou rice
6	3	5,500	13,000	Black rice, hongyou rice, crystal rice, black glutinous rice
7	2	3,500	8,200	Hongyou rice, black rice
8	2.5	4,300	5,500	Hongyou rice, crystal rice, glutinous rice
9	3.5	6,200	14,500	Hongyou rice, fragrant rice, eight-treasure rice
10	2	3,500	8,400	Red yeast rice, hongyou rice
11	2	3,500	8,300	Red yeast rice, hongyou rice