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Explora: Environment
and Resource The Tartary buckwheat industry

have far-reaching implications for both the local ecological Ecologically, buckwheat is a resilient herbaceous plant
environment and farmers’ livelihoods. in the Polygonaceae family, with two cultivated species:
The “company + farmer” model has emerged as Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.)
the dominant production system driving agricultural and Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.).
industrialization in China. According to statistics from Research has reported that Southwest China is the original
10,11
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development region for cultivated buckwheat. After thousands of
(MARD), by the end of 2020, more than 90,000 leading years of cultivation and spread, buckwheat is now widely
12,13
enterprises had been recognized by authorities responsible cultivated globally. While common buckwheat is
for agricultural industrialization at the county level or cultivated worldwide, Tartary buckwheat is concentrated in
above. 1 the Himalayan region, particularly in Southwest China. 14,15
Policymakers argue that supporting these “dragon- Buckwheat is a crop with a relatively short growing
headed” enterprises can provide capital, technology, season that thrives in a variety of environmental conditions.
and market access, effectively integrating decentralized Studies indicate that growing buckwheat can improve soil
agricultural production with processing and marketing. health and quality, 16,17 making it an ideal choice for organic
This integration is expected to increase farmers’ incomes and agroecological farming. Beyond its environmental
and boost the agricultural economy. benefits, this crop has attracted considerable interest
from researchers due to its rich nutritional and medicinal
Scholars have varying perspectives on the corporate- value. 18-21
led industrialization model. Proponents of mainstream
economics argue that it promotes agricultural Although buckwheat cultivation has a long history in
modernization, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship China and remains an important staple crop for farmers
between enterprises and farmers. Conversely, political in the mountainous regions of Southwest China, it has not
1
economists critique this model, viewing it as the received sufficient attention due to its low yield. However,
articulation of capitalist and non-capitalist production. increasing commercialization in China’s rural areas has
They argue that while capitalist production secures the highlighted the value of buckwheat as a functional food
labor and raw materials necessary for accumulation, ingredient, attracting significant investments from food
family farming faces structural constraints that lead to companies in China over the past decade. Along with this
stagnation. Other scholars highlight that corporate- trend, consumer demand for buckwheat-based products,
2,3
led industrial development projects often result in land such as noodles, flour, tea, wine, and other health products,
grabbing, the erosion of traditional values, and growing has also been increasing. 22
internal divisions within local communities, ultimately Despite growing demand for healthy foods, buckwheat
undermining farmers’ livelihoods. 4-8 production is facing increasing challenges. Researchers
Despite these critiques, there is limited literature indicate that buckwheat cultivation is declining in the
evaluating the impacts of corporate-led agricultural Yunnan Province due to reduced land, labor shortages,
development projects from the perspectives of biodiversity and changes in the living environment and dietary
and sustainable agricultural development. This study habits. However, existing studies have mainly focused on
23
aims to fill this gap by examining the transformation of sociocultural and policy factors.
buckwheat cultivation in the Liangshan Yi region, focusing This study seeks to address the following research
on the socioeconomic and ecological implications of questions:
corporate-led agricultural industrialization. (i) How does the corporate-led “company + farmer”
The study focuses on buckwheat, a traditional crop model influence the cultivation of traditional crops,
with significant cultural, ecological, and nutritional particularly buckwheat, in the Liangshan Yi region?
value for the Yi people in Southwest China. Buckwheat (ii) What are the socioeconomic and ecological
is deeply embedded in the cultural practices and dietary implications of these changes for local farmers and the
traditions of the Yi community, serving not only as a staple agroecosystem?
food but also as a symbol of their agricultural heritage. (iii) How can future rural development efforts balance
9
agricultural industrialization with the preservation of
1 For details, please refer to: “Report on the Implementation of traditional farming practices and biodiversity?
the National Economic and Social Development Plan for 2023
and the Draft National Economic and Social Development The research hypothesizes that while the “company
Plan for 2024,” Xinhua. 2024-03-13. https://www.gov.cn/ + farmer” model provides market opportunities, it also
yaowen/liebiao/202403/content_6939276.htm marginalizes local farmers from equitably benefiting

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/eer.5696