Abstract:

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a sustainable way of farming is now invoking more and more interests in China. To learn the lessons of CSA in the Japan and America, so as to encourage CSA and coordinating urban-rural development in China, the history, recent trends and social context were briefly introduced, and the potential demands in China were discussed. The studies indicated that The Teikei which is the Japanese version of CSA is facing stagnation and decline for a reduction in the number of former organic farmers and the changes in society. In comparison, it has undergone rapid growth in the United States during the three decades for it pandered to public taste. The average farm size has decreased and flexible and diversified forms have emerged. CSA is closely related to its background of forming and developing. Many CSAs are formed by groups of people who interested in getting organic produce from farms. CSA possesses multi-functions as well. They are principles of mutual assistance, democratic management and maintaining the appropriate group scale and so on. To accept no outside help may enhance the vitality and dynamics for CSA development. All of these have good reference significance to China. This paper from the interests of Chinese farmers, the needs of citizen and the coordinating of urban-rural relationship perspective, consider that CSA as a green channel for reaching the objectives of sustainable agriculture and coordinated development of urban and rural areas.