Programme: Field Trip of Modern Agricultural Development
Partner Institution: South China Agricultural University
Period: December 17 - 20, 2023
This activity was organized by South China Agricultural University to deepen our understanding of agricultural machinery and technology.
As a child growing up in the city, my knowledge of agriculture and food production was quite limited, assuming it was just a matter of sowing and harvesting. However, this event exceeded my expectations, providing me with deeper insights into China's agricultural production model.
Firstly, let's talk about the itinerary. South China Agricultural University arranged for two professors to escort us on a commercial bus to various locations, including Taishan, Kaiping, Qingyuan, and Jiangmen, to visit agricultural cooperatives and observe production machinery. Our daily accommodations and food conditions were excellent throughout the trip.
Secondly, the activity allowed students to gain knowledge from different perspectives based on their majors. My major is in economics and finance. According to the professor, the unit price of agricultural machinery is high, resulting in low demand from individual farmers. Only agricultural cooperatives can afford collective purchases and large-scale cultivation. However, unlike substantial equipment such as aircraft, farm machinery cannot be mortgaged due to high depreciation, leading to cash flow pressure on cooperatives. Sociology students also learned that, under the Chinese demographic trend of rural population outflow, migrant workers earn low wages in cities, while rural areas lack high-skilled and high-paid workers to operate and repair agricultural machinery.
Overall, this was a rewarding trip that significantly broadened my understanding of the current opportunities and challenges in China's agriculture sector.
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