Changle Sweet Potato Planting System makes the list

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently unveiled the shortlist for the 7th batch of China’s important agricultural cultural heritage. After applications from cities and towns, recommendations by provincial-level authorities, preliminary reviews by the Ministry and professional appraisals, 50 traditional Chinese agricultural systems have been included in the intended list of the 7th batch of China’s important agricultural cultural heritage. Fujian Province’s “Sweet Potato Planting System” made the latest list.

China’s agricultural cultural heritage is defined as a unique land utilization system and agricultural landscape formed in rural areas and its surroundings through long-term coevolution and dynamic adaptation. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations launched an initiative to conserve global important agricultural cultural heritage. In a warm response to the initiative, China took the lead in engaging in the discovery and conservation of national level agricultural cultural heritage in 2012.

In 2016, Changle Sweet Potatoes were rated as geographical indication agricultural products by the then Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. Since the beginning of 2022, Changle District has asked experts to make studies of the Changle sweet potato planting system in terms of agricultural biodiversity, traditional knowledge and techniques, social organizations and landscape features, in a bid to dig into Changle sweet potatoes’ economic, social, cultural, ecological and sci-tech values and to enhance their comprehensive competitiveness. (Xu Wenyu)