Trust, friends make it easy to be green

Increasing concern over food safety, nostalgic appetite for the flavors from a simpler past and growing wealth have fueled a demand in China for alternative food networks such as community supported agriculture.

While modern logistics may have widened the definition of "community" in a geographical sense, small farms are still struggling to meet varied demands, says Wang Shenfu.

One farm can offer a limited range of produce, and it is necessary, Wang says, to build an integrated network to facilitate the exchange of produce among different farms. The weekly Beijing Country Fair is performing such a function, but Wang says there is a lot more that needs to be done.