Nantang Agriculture Cooperative - Anhui Province in China
Description
Notthere:
"The Nantang Cooperative, located in the northern plains of Anhui Province, was born in the late 1990s when local peasants came together to address immediate needs and protect their shared interests. Over time, what began as a response to local injustice grew into something much more, and the members continues to thrive and serve the community to this day, remaining true to their grassroots origins.
The early constitution of the cooperative included three key phrases: *rational protection of rights*, *cultural enlightenment*, and *scientific advancement for prosperity*. In my view, these three phrases can (roughly) summarize the cooperative's journey over the past 20+ years. This includes explorations in different directions, numerous projects, various ups and downs, some of which can be found in the related reading materials attached below."
Discussion
Nantang and Web3
Notthere:
"Nantang's encounter with Web3 dates back to 2010, when Matthew, a PhD student in anthropology, arrived at Nantang. He was studying the "New Rural Reconstruction Movement," which had gained momentum at the time. Nantang Cooperative was one of the cases he observed, and it later became one of the four case studies in his dissertation.
Matthew enthusiastically introduced Bitcoin to a fellow volunteer who was staying in Nantang. At that time, Matthew believed Bitcoin held great potential for social transformation and offered to give the volunteer one Bitcoin, which was worth $1 then. Although the volunteer declined the offer, a seed had been planted—that friend later became involved in the blockchain industry, recognized the potential for implementing Web3 in rural areas, and brought this vision back to Nantang.
As the volunteer later reflected, Nantang and Web3 share a similar spiritual core. This place has accumulated so much—many potentials waiting to be discovered. Web3 needs to engage with the real world, which has become particularly relevant in 2024, at a time when Web3's relationship with mainstream political and financial systems grows increasingly complex. Nantang, too, needs the possibilities offered by Web3 to explore ways out of its crises. These possibilities stem not only from the characteristics of blockchain technology but also from the Web3 community's aspiration to ground value of Web3 in tangible reality but not speculative finance."
What is Nantang DAO doing?
Notthere:
1.
"Some partners from the Web3 industry have already settled in Nantang, collaborating with local friends. We are still in the process of exploring and addressing challenges, and in doing so, we have seen many possibilities for combining Web3 with Nantang, including:
1. Web3, as a tool for fostering trust, can help Nantang build a scalable system for material production and value distribution. Putting relevant data on-chain makes everything transparent, enabling easier collaboration between individuals who might not otherwise trust each other. 2. Web3's ability to eliminate intermediaries can help producers and consumers establish direct relationships, moving beyond the binary production/consumption dynamic. It also facilitates the flow of value, reducing the extraction of value by intermediaries.
Currently, we are working on the following projects:
1. **Work Points as a Contribution Recording Tool**: Work points, as a reward and proof of contribution, can promote fair and transparent recording and distribution of contributions, enhancing transparency in Nantang's local economy and strengthening the connection between consumers and producers.
2. **Work Points as a Governance Tool**: Recorded work points can also serve as a governance tool for Nantang, connecting the cooperative with villagers and enabling collective decision-making on relevant matters.
3. **Ecological Agriculture**: Nantang Cooperative has long been experimenting with enzyme-based ecological agriculture. Starting in September this year, we have been focusing on producing enzymes and engaging surrounding villagers in this effort. We hope this can bring locally distinctive eco-products to Nantang. We are also exploring ways to combine this initiative with Web3 technology.
4. **Youth Education**: We plan to transform a room on the second floor of the cooperative building into a space that nurtures children's artistic expression and design interests. We are also exploring how their creations can be connected to the creator economy, for example, through issuing NFTs.
5. **Creator Economy**: For many rural reconstruction practitioners and those concerned about rural China, Nantang is an important cultural symbol. The "Earth Library" we are building has already received support from contributors from various regions. Some contributors are also willing to explore integrating their works (books, songs, videos) with blockchain technology.
These initial attempts are helping us open up imagination in ecological agriculture, local art creation, cultural history exploration and creation, youth education, and more. The possibilities in our eyes are still gradually unfolding."
2.
"Nantang DAO is committed to revitalizing villages around the Nantang Cooperative and fostering mutual exchange between the 'New Rural Reconstruction' movement and the Web3 community: cultivating a DAO rooted in rural China while exploring pathways to connect globally through crypto.
And these below are among the things that we are working on, after the establishment of Nantang DAO in August 19th:
- An accounting system, to earn work points (“工分”) as a governance tool.
- The mutual education between the 'New Rural Reconstruction' movement and the Web3 community.
- Fair Field（公平田野）: The Integration between PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) and Web3, decentralized organic food certification."
More information
- [Yang Yunbiao's Brainchild: A Rural Cooperative in Anhui](https://chinadevelopmentbrief.org/reports/yang-yunbiaos-vision-a-rural-cooperative-in-anhui/)
- [Anhui Farmers' Cooperative: The Construction of the Cultural Courtyard](http://www.tfishfund.org/blog/july-16th-2012)