Want to buy directly from farmers? Come to the Little Schoolhouse and the Little Journey Meetup

The problem of unbalanced production and sales in Taiwan, China has existed for a long time. Faced with the low purchase prices offered by brokers and farmers' associations, many farmers have to close the deal even though it pains them. The complicated buying and selling process between producers and consumers also leaves consumers forever puzzled as to why, even though they work so hard to buy local agricultural products, farmers often cannot earn a single cent.

Based on the idea of fair trade, the writer Mai-Mai-Shi launched the "Buy Directly from Farmers" fan page on Facebook, hoping to rebuild a fair relationship among producers, consumers and the land.
 
The Buy Directly from Farmers fan page posts information about farmers selling their own produce from time to time. Before each farmer's information is posted, it must go through a rigorous inspection process, mainly assisted by six volunteers who investigate, communicating with farmers through the internet, by phone, or even by visiting the production site, to ensure that the farmers agree with the fan page's two core principles: friendly to the land and friendly to people, neither of which can be missing. At the same time, they are also responsible to the fan page's followers.

Since its establishment, the fan page has attracted nearly 45,000 followers. Through this public-interest platform, besides consumers being able to contact farmers directly, it also records farmers' cultivation stories and ideas, letting consumers understand the meaning of friendly agriculture and grow through mutual exchange. Last year (2011), it also received the special award in the Green Environmental Expert category of the third Xue Xue Awards.

Not shopping at hypermarkets, netizens choose to "buy directly from farmers"

When hypermarkets shout promotional slogans like "cheap every day" and "five dollars a bunch," it is hard for people not to buy. Mai-Mai-Shi said: "This is a very common phenomenon. When people treat cheapness as a belief in life, they always forget two things: one is fair trade, and the other is treating the land and their own health fairly."

She believes these are two connected problems. The main one is that too many farmers cannot get a reasonable income; because of this, this leads to the second problem, so they do not have the money to adopt safer farming methods.

Mai-Mai-Shi believes that fair trade does not necessarily mean expensive. Taking the products of the "Buy Directly from Farmers" fan page as an example, consumers happen to buy at a middle price. It is more expensive than the wholesale price, because farmers have to handle marketing, packaging and home delivery themselves, but it is cheaper than the same grade of agricultural produce sold through many channels. Most importantly, farmers can get a reasonable income and are more likely to move toward friendly farming.

Mai-Mai-Shi said that this group of consumers on "Buy Directly from Farmers" is very important and indispensable. "If there were only volunteers or farmers, the fan page would just be a nothing," because these lovely consumers are willing to communicate directly with farmers, willing to understand and believe in and respect farmers' cultivation methods, and farmers are willing to listen to consumers' voices. "Only with two-way interaction can we find a way out of this endless cycle."

Mini Classes X Mini Trips

From March to June this year, the "Buy Directly from Farmers" fan page plans to hold a series of mini classes and mini trips, with different courses designed respectively for farmers and consumers.

The mini classes will focus especially on sharing experience with farmers about marketing agricultural products, teaching farmers to tell their own stories. It does not have to be writing; speaking aloud is also fine. The main point is to learn to discover their own distinctive features.

Mai-Mai-Shi believes that if farmers can keep operating on their own strength, know how to become lifelong friends with consumers, help each other move forward, and even share their experience with other farmers, driving the community to do it together, only then will this path be long-lasting. She believes the fan page cannot keep introducing the same farmer over and over, because there are too many farmers who need to be known by the public, and farmers also cannot forever rely on "Buy Directly from Farmers" to do voluntary marketing. "At a certain stage, you must rely on yourself."

Since the fan page's consumer group is between 25 and 45 years old, exactly young internet users, and even students, Mai-Mai-Shi said they will hold some relaxed introductory knowledge courses to get consumers out of the internet and into the real world, directly visiting production sites, and so on. Taking a rice course as an example, she tells consumers that varieties such as Kaohsiung No. 139 and Tainan No. 14 are like codes for rice, and tells them the story of each type of rice. "Tell them directly that they can make good use of different rice varieties for different dishes, demonstrate hands-on practice directly. Food is part of life. If after hearing the story of the ingredients they can then cook for themselves, that is the fastest way to put it to use."

Mai-Mai-Shi also hopes that if there is a chance, a tertiary industry can be developed, so that farmers can not only farm, but also serve as "field teachers," giving them more diverse sources of income.

The importance of traceability and food safety 

Speaking of running the fan page until now and whether she has seen unresolved problems, Mai-Mai-Shi said: "There needs to be more communication between farmers and consumers."

For example, a while ago pesticide residues were found in fruits and vegetables at convenience stores. A farmer left a message on Facebook: "Why is it that every time pesticides exceed the standard, farmers are blamed, because what consumers want is those big and beautiful vegetables and fruits. If we don't spray pesticides, the brokers won't want what we grow!" Even though she runs the fan page hoping the public can have more empathy for farmers and the environment, Mai-Mai-Shi believes: "Consumers cannot be blamed entirely either."

She said that although consumers' attitudes do need to change, farmers who use pesticides illegally cannot shirk responsibility because of this. She knows very many farmers who use pesticides safely and do not use banned drugs. But this time, what was detected not only exceeded the safe-use standard, but banned pesticides were actually found. "A small number of farmers used drugs they should not have used, yet farmers who comply with the use standards are condemned and distrusted along with them. That is very unfair. These farmers should also establish the idea of being responsible for their own agricultural produce."
 
As for the government, Mai-Mai-Shi said the entire process of food safety for fruits and vegetables is still not transparent enough. Although Taiwan, China has certification labels such as GAP (Good Agricultural Practice), organic certification, and production traceability, when buying fruits and vegetables at many markets, traditional markets, and wholesale stores, the source is still unknown, and if problems occur, there is no way to know how to improve. She believes that traceability and food safety must rely on systems and laws, but changing the overall environment requires everyone to act together. "Rather than waiting bitterly for the government to wake up, it is faster to rely on citizens' actions and voices to urge legislation."
 
She stressed that the government should take responsibility for safeguarding food safety and cultivation safety, provide relevant guidance to farmers, and also educate consumers, telling consumers to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables as much as possible, and that they do not necessarily have to be big and beautiful; and telling farmers that paying attention to food and land safety is the next step Taiwan, China must take.

Social citizen movement: building friendly links in production and sales

How exactly can farmers be helped in a substantive way? Mai-Mai-Shi laughed and said: "Actually, not every consumer can get through a big box of strawberries, and not everyone can buy fifty-some ponkan mandarins at once." Buying directly from farmers is only one option. Sometimes you can also buy at farmers' markets, or buy through any channel that is friendly to farmers.

She said that founding "Buy Directly from Farmers" was actually intended to set off a small civil society movement. Buying is one part of it, but enabling consumers to communicate directly with farmers is the key point.

She also mentioned that in Japan many supermarkets that are very friendly to farmers directly label who grew the produce, let farmers put their products on the shelves themselves when harvesting, settle the accounts themselves, and farmers can also get a reasonable price. "If channels, consumers, farmers, and buyers all have empathy, and everyone is willing to communicate with one another, only then can things be improved."

Mai-Mai-Shi believes that if farmers' associations are willing to do a good job, their influence is greater than anyone else's. When farmers' associations do well, the whole rural area does well together. She gave the example of the Meizi DreamWorks of the Xinyi Township Farmers' Association, which develops all kinds of plum products and gift boxes, such as plum wine, plum facial masks, and so on, allowing plums, a low-priced fruit, to find a somewhat better market and be sold at a better price. These are things ordinary farmers may not necessarily be able to do, and this is a very good approach. Unfortunately, many farmers' associations do not treat rural areas as partners, and even make many farmers poorer the more they farm.

Passing on the power of support and goodness

"My goal is that one day 'Buy Directly from Farmers' can disappear. If it still exists ten years from now, that means unfair conditions have persisted all along, farmers have never been able to get a reasonable income, and agriculture has never been able to move toward safer cultivation methods." Mai-Mai-Shi said.

What has given Mai-Mai-Shi the greatest sense of achievement since the fan page was founded is "seeing some changes." Earlier she received a letter from a farmer, a young person who began growing Ponkan at 27. "Because this young person got a fair and reasonable price, he can use organic fertilizer and continue farming in a way that is friendly to the land. We often think that doing something will not change anything, but in fact there are changes."

Speaking of the farmers on the fan page, Mai-Mai-Shi said even more happily that more than 90% of the farmers not only want to do well for themselves, but also try to influence nearby farmers, and they also care a lot about community coexistence, hoping to drive the community to act together. "Consumers give farmers support and the power of goodness, and farmers also pass that power of goodness on to support others."

She shared a few examples. One farmer grows sweet potatoes, but spends much of his time volunteering for wetlands. Another farmer sells white rice well in season and donates a small portion of the white rice to elementary schools in need, so that the cycle can continue. "Farmers will not forever be hyped by politicians as a tragic disadvantaged group that cannot hold up their heads; instead, they radiate the brilliance they deserve and receive the dignity and respect they should have."

Event News

Buy Directly from Farmers  Mini Classes X Mini Trips website is now online!
[Buy Directly from Farmers] hopes to take everyone out of the internet, to use their hands, ears, taste, and travel… to experience the beauty of rural areas and food! From March to June, the mini trips and talks invite many experts to tell stories and lead mini trips, so everyone can get close to the land and learn happily. In addition, a series of professional mini classes has also been arranged for farmers. Through exchange and learning, farmers will surely be able to walk a sustainable and long-term path on their own. Everyone is welcome to sign up.