The Changing Face of Rural Landscape

1
The Changing Face of Rural Landscape
2
Introduction

• Area of farmland
• people involved in agriculture decrease
• People now involved in agriculture facing
  different kinds of PROBLEMS

3
What problems do you think the farmers in Pak
Kong?

• Can you list out any solution?

4
Introduction

• Problems
• 1. Competition from Mainland China
• 2. High cost of production
• 3. Rural-urban migration (labour shortage)

5
PROBLEMS facing by present farmers1. Competition
from Mainland China

• Mainland China
• - low production cost
• - cheap labour
• - large of people
• involved in farming
• - larger farmland
• - better quality
• - wide varieties

• Hong Kong
• - high cost of production
• - expensive labour
• - many people involved in
• tertiary industry
• ? shortage of labour
• - small area of farmland
• - low quality
• - narrow range of varieties

6
Solution

• High value product (e.g. market gardening)
• Better quality species
• Orchards
• Government Assistance

7
Orchards (high value species)
8
Market Gardening
9
PROBLEMS facing by present farmers2. High Cost
of Production

• Preparation for the land
• - abandon land ? farmland
• Machinery
• Pesticides
• Fertilizers
• High Transport Cost
• Irrigation
• -- water pump, water pipe
• No subsides from the government

10
Mr. Leungs lychee orchard
11
Solution

• Import seed machinery from the Mainland
• ? lower cost
• Perennial plants
• (decrease the frequency of harvesting)
• Change of operation method
• (buy the mature plants from the Mainland)

12
Perennial Plants - Lychee
13
PROBLEMS facing by present farmers3. Rural-Urban
Migration (Labour Shortage)

• PULL FACTOR
• More job opportunities in urban
• Higher income
• Development of urban area ? better living
  conditions in urban
• (e.g. efficient transport network)
• (e.g. better infrastructure)
• (e.g. social facilities)

• PUSH FACTOR
• Less job opportunities
• in rural
• Hard working conditions
• Lower and unstable income
• Less development of the rural area

14
Conclusion

• Present farmers are facing lots of difficulties
  and problems
• if they still use the old method of operation ?
  Hard to earn money
• They should try new operation method
• e.g. lychee orchards
• e.g. leisure farming