Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme

As an effort to combat the rapid loss of village culture, rural environment and communities amid urbanisation in Asia, Policy for Sustainability Lab of the Faculty of Social Sciences at The University of Hong Kong launched the multi-year Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme in 2013. The Programme was an action project which sought to replenish and revitalise the disappearing social and natural capital of the desolate, remote traditional farming landscape at Lai Chi Wo in Hong Kong, with a view to develop a sustainable model for rural revitalisation for Hong Kong, Greater China and beyond.

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Biodiversity Monitoring

The first biodiversity monitoring programme in Lai Chi Wo has begun since February 2014. Our ecology research team has regularly conducted field surveys to monitor the species and the changes in number of plants, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, freshwater invertebrates and fishes in the village alongside with the revitalisation activities. The surveys provide evidence-based information for long-term habitat management and sustainable agricultural development in Lai Chi Wo.

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Agricultural Revitalisation

Farmlands abandoned for over 30 years were revitalised using eco-farming methods. By the end of the first four years of the Programme, more than five hectares of farmlands have been rehabilitated. Apart from the experiential farm of Policy for Sustainability Lab and the farm operated under Environment and Conservation Fund’s Management Agreement, there are currently nine groups of community farmers and producers under the “3 Dous” Community Building Scheme which was launched in 2015 to initiate farm start-ups and production projects at Lai Chi Wo.

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Annual Village Cleaning

Annual village cleaning activities were jointly organised with Lai Chi Wo Village and other organisations near Chung Yeung Festival when a number of villagers return to Lai Chi Wo to pay respects to their ancestors. Volunteers, the public and local villagers were engaged to clean up the ditches and weed the paths between the rows of houses inside the village.

Leadership Training

Two rounds of leadership training programmes were offered to indigenous villagers, staff and volunteer leaders from corporates and NGOs, as well as enthusiastic citizens. in July - November 2014 and March 2015 – January 2016 respectively to establish a pool of determined change agents and equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes for sustainable revitalisation of rural community in Hong Kong. Some of the training programme graduates joined our “3 Dous" Community Building Scheme to carry out their farming projects in Lai Chi Wo.

Annual project video 2014

Click here to watch our 2014 project video.

Policy paper on sustainable agriculture

The project team submitted a policy paper to the government in March 2015 on sustainable agriculture according to the empirical experience of the Programme. The policy paper urged the government to (1) establish an official recognition that agricultural development is essential for Hong Kong’s sustainable development; (2) to expand or at least maintain the current land provision for agriculture; (3) to connect sustainable agriculture with other policy arenas; and (4) to provide necessary training, technical, marketing and certification supports for sustainable agriculture.

Secondary School Education Programmes

Since the summer of 2015, PSL has successively launched a series of subject-based education programmes for secondary schools using Lai Chi Wo as a case study. The programmes covered subjects of Science, Integrated Science, Biology, Geography and Liberal Studies. Topics included biodiversity and natural resources, rural conservation and sustainable development, traditional local culture, etc. A total of 8,606 students and 443 teachers have been trained between 2014 and 2017.

Oral History Collection

To collect first-hand information on the community resources and capitals of Lai Chi Wo and its surrounding areas, over 20 oral history interviews with key local villagers, village representatives, etc. were conducted and recorded since July 2015. Some of the findings have been published on the web traditional farming village landscape and traditional Hakka community of Lai Chi Wo and in the Programme’s photo story book “Vivifying Lai Chi Wo: Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme Four Year Review and Outlook" (Chinese version; English version).

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"3 Dous" Community Building Scheme

The “3 Dous” Community Building Scheme was launched to provide capacity building and resoures to the indigenous villagers and individuals who aspired to join the revitalisation works in Lai Chi Wo, such that they are capable of developing their own start-ups in Lai Chi Wo. There are now nine groups of community farmers and producers practicing self-sufficient lifestyle, agricultural production and farm-based education in Lai Chi Wo. Diverse farm products and services have been developed. The farm produce and products are promoted online and sold at the Lai Chi Wo Farmers’ Market.

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Education for needy families

Various public education programmes have been organised to arouse public awareness on the issue of rural revitalisation. Since September 2015, education programmes have been offered to underprivileged families and social service organisations such as New Home Association, Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service and Po Leung Kuk Employment Services Centre. Usually, a one-day service learning opportunity was provided to each participant. By the end of September 2017, a total of 825 members of needy families were engaged.

Annual project video 2015

Click here to watch our 2015 project video.

Lai Chi Wo Cultural Hub

The official launching ceremony of the Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme was held on April 30, 2016. The ceremony also marked the opening of a village complex restored using traditional construction methods and local materials. The complex is officially named the “Lai Chi Wo Cultural Hub” and is used for community activities, gatherings and training purposes. An exhibition of the traditional farming methods adopted by the Lai Chi Wo Hakka villagers is held inside. Their farm tools are also displayed.

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Recommended by “Lonely Planet”

Impressed by Lai Chi Wo, Hong Kong was ranked fifth of top ten Asian destinations for 2016 by “Lonely Planet”.

“Though almost completely abandoned in the 1960s, Lai Chi Wo has been undergoing a revival thanks to the efforts of villagers, academics and conservationists. The growing of rice and vegetables has resumed on a cautious scale, pig and cow sheds have been restored, and shuttered village houses now function as education and research facilities.” -- Lonely Planet (Extracted from Lonely Planet's article "Lai Chi Wo: Top choice village in Sha Tau Kok​")

International Symposium on Sustainable Rural Communities in Asian Cities

The symposium was held between August 25 and 27, 2016. It provided a platform for the sharing of knowledge and experience on the revitalisation of rural communities in Asian cities. Fifteen scholars and practitioners from Nepal, Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong shared their knowledge and experience. Twenty world famous rural revitalisation efforts in Asia were showcased and over 150 participants from academics, NGOs and interested groups joined.

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Pre-school Education Programme

The Pre-school Education Programme, targeted at kindergarten students with the objectives of cultivating a sense of appreciation and conservation of trees, included an art workshop "The World of Hollow Tree" and an experiential day-camp in Lai Chi Wo. By the end of September 2017, nine outreach workshops and two field trips were organised.

Impacts on Hong Kong’s Strategic Planning

The HKSAR Government released the long-term strategic planning document “Hong Kong 2030+” in October 2016 and cited our farming revitalisation effort in Lai Chi Wo as an effective means to enhance environmental capacity.

Impacts on Hong Kong’s Biodiversity Strategy

Hong Kong’s first Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2016-21) (BSAP) released in December 2016 mentioned that the Government will encourage environmentally friendly agricultural practices and explore innovative ways to conserve rural areas. Our efforts in Lai Chi Wo serve as an example of how such initiatives can be developed in response to the BSAP action areas of enhancing conservation measures, mainstreaming biodiversity and promoting community involvement.

Annual project video 2016

Click here to watch our 2016 project video.

Policy Impacts

Former Chief Executive CY Leung in his last Policy Address praised the sustainable model we developed from the Lai Chi Wo experience as an exemplary revitalisation model for rural villages in Hong Kong. The Government is committed to actively support the Programme and will seek to conserve and revitalise rural areas based on the sustainability principle.

Very Ginger Processing Team

Over 700 kg of ginger and turmeric were harvested in January 2017 from the restored farmlands. With the steering and facilitation from Policy for Sustainability Lab, a processing team “Very Ginger” was formed among villagers, new settlers, and enthusiastic volunteers. Ginger slices and turmeric powder were developed and promoted in local Lai Chi Wo Farmers’ Market and other outreach event. This experiment has shaped the growing-processing-marketing model which the new phase of the Programme will further develop.

Lai Chi Wo Farmers’ Market

As the Ma Liu Shui-Lai Chi Wo Kaito came into service in 2016, Lai Chi Wo’s local green economy was made possible with the improved accessibility. The Lai Chi Wo Farmers’ Market was initiated and held regularly on the first Sunday of each month since January 2017. Visitors could buy fresh produce and processed products with ingredients from Lai Chi Wo directly from the community farms at the on-site Farmers’ Market.

Sustainability Solutions Recognised by UNDP

In August 2017, the Programme was selected by the United Nations Development Programme’s Equator Initiative as the only case from Hong Kong included in their online database which showcases outstanding nature-based solutions to sustainable development undertaken by rural communities around the globe. The Programme offers eight solutions among the 34 solutions from China and over 700 worldwide. The solutions have successfully addressed 9 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

[Visit the database to read our solutions]

International Symposium of Collaborative Governance for Rural Sustainability

The symposium was held between August 18 and 20, 2017. Leading international and local scholars and experts at the Symposium discussed the important agenda of achieving rural sustainability through collaborative governance, examining three different major aspects: partnerships for rural sustainability, socio-economic models for community development and measurement of sustainability. Cases from the USA, UK, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong were featured at the Symposium. Discussions on August 18, 2017 were followed by excursions to Lai Chi Wo, Tai O and Yi O on August 19 and 20 respectively.

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Policy Impacts

The current Chief Executive Carrie Lam mentioned the Programme in her Policy Address 2017 as a successful example of rural revitalisation, which has prompted the Government to establish a Countryside Conservation Office with 1 billion (HKD) budget to expand its impact at Lai Chi Wo and other rural areas in Hong Kong.

Lai Chi Wo Photo Story Book

The Lai Chi Wo photo story book is published in both Chinese (荔誌：「永續荔枝窩」四年回顧及展望) and English (Vivifying Lai Chi Wo: Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme Four Year Review and Outlook) to document and review the revitalisation story of Lai Chi Wo in 2013-2017. It sheds light on ways to pursue rural sustainability in Hong Kong and beyond. It consists of 41 articles and interviews from the project team, indigenous villagers and new settlers of Lai Chi Wo, relevant government departments, and project contributors with collections of photographs to tell personalized stories of an impactful project.

Annual project video 2017

Click here to watch our 2017 project video.

HSBC Rural Sustainability

The “Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme” was successfully completed in September 2017. The Programme entered a new phase called “HSBC Rural Sustainability” in October 2017. The new phase focuses on mobilising actions of the local community by socio-economic models emphasising the role of rural community for the benefit of the wider Hong Kong society. Based upon a collaborative and solidarity approach, these models will strengthen a viable sustainability model that can be replicated by nearby villages and similar rural areas in the region.

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PSL joined the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative

Policy for Sustainability Lab has become a member of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI). IPSI was established in 2010 at the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) with the mission of promoting and conserving sustainable human-influenced natural environments worldwide. IPSI comprises over 200 member organisations from more than 60 countries. The story of Lai Chi Wo has been published and shared on the IPSI website.

The Lai Chi Wo photo story book is published in both Chinese (荔誌：「永續荔枝窩」四年回顧及展望) and English (Vivifying Lai Chi Wo: Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme Four Year Review and Outlook) to document and review the revitalisation story of Lai Chi Wo in 2013-2017. It sheds light on ways to pursue rural sustainability in Hong Kong and beyond. It consists of 41 articles and interviews from the project team, indigenous villagers and new settlers of Lai Chi Wo, relevant government departments, and project contributors with collections of photographs to tell personalized stories of an impactful project.

Co-creation of the Community (3Cs) Scheme

The Co-creation of the Community (3Cs) Scheme seeks to involve specialists of different expertise to serve as community curators to help identify and utilise the tangible and intangible rural capital of villages for the revitalisation of rural communities. The first project funded by the Scheme is “Murmur of the Brick” which focuses on the theme of mud brick and Hakka culture.

Academy for Sustainable Communities Establishment cum Urban-Rural Dialogue on Community Revitalisation

The first-of-its-kind Academy for Sustainable Communities was established by Policy for Sustainability Lab with a vision to become a regional knowledge exchange platform. It aims to disseminate knowledge of sustainability and to incubate a new generation of change agents for sustainability. On the Academy's launching event “Urban-Rural Dialogue on Community Revitalisation”, four guest speakers, Ada Wong, Liu Ka-shiang, Yeung Sau-Churk and Winnie Yeung, talked about the latest trends in urban and rural community revitalisation in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

PSL has become one of the founding members of APHEN-ICH

PSL has become one of the founding members of the Asia-Pacific Higher Education Network for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (APHEN-ICH) and is currently the only member from China. APHEN-ICH was established in September 2018 in collaboration with the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Network aims to foster and strengthen capacity for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific through collaborative programmes and activities. As of 2019, there are 17 member universities.

“Rural Sustainability” newsletter – Autumn 2018 Issue

The first issue of the Programme’s biannual newsletter “Rural Sustainability” is published with the theme “Urban-rural Symbiosis”. The newsletter delivers programme updates as well as stories and knowledge in relation to rural conservation and community revitalisation.

Annual project video 2018

Click here to watch our 2018 project video.

“Rural Sustainability” newsletter – Spring 2019 Issue

The second issue of the Programme’s biannual newsletter “Rural Sustainability” is published with the theme “Importance of Rural Areas”. The newsletter delivers programme updates as well as stories and knowledge in relation to rural conservation and community revitalisation.

Finalist for the Equator Prize 2019

Among 847 nominations from 127 countries, the Indigenous Hakka community of Lai Chi Wo Village was selected as one of only 107 finalists of the Equator Prize 2019. The Equator Prize, organised by the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme, recognises outstanding community efforts to tackle climate change and contribute to sustainable development through innovative, nature-based solutions.

[Visit the database to read our solutions]

“Rural Sustainability” newsletter – Autumn 2019 Issue

The third issue of the Programme’s biannual newsletter “Rural Sustainability” is published with the theme “Local Produce”. The newsletter delivers programme updates as well as stories and knowledge in relation to rural conservation and community revitalisation.

Annual project video 2019

Click here to watch our 2019 project video.

“Rural Sustainability” newsletter – Spring 2020 Issue

The fourth issue of the Programme’s biannual newsletter “Rural Sustainability” is published with the theme “Village Culture. The newsletter delivers programme updates as well as stories and knowledge in relation to rural conservation and community revitalisation.

Project team selected as a Food System Vision Prize Semi-Finalist

Based on our experience in the HSBC Rural Sustainability programme, we submitted our vision for Hong Kong’s food system in 2050 to The Rockefeller Foundation’s Food System Vision Prize which invited organizations across the globe to envision a regenerative and nourishing food futures for 2050.

Among 1,319 submissions from 112 countries, we were selected as one of the 79 Semi-Finalists and were invited to join the Refinement Phase of the prize. Our refined vision was submitted in May 2020 and can be viewed here.

“Rural Sustainability” newsletter – Autumn 2020 Issue

The fifth issue of the Programme's "Rural Sustainability" newsletter is published with the theme “Food”. Stories and news covered in this issue include:
Cover Story: Food Solidarity Amid COVID-19
Feature: Food Education
Key Concepts: Sustainable Food System
Hing Chun Yeuk Villages: Sam A – Where Tranquillity and Liveliness Unite
Academy Events and Courses: Sustainability Hackathon 2020
Co-Creation of the Community: Reinventing Rural Capital Scheme: The Common Map – A Mapping Database of Village Stories
Local Products: Healthy and Tasty Papaya

Lai Chi Wo Rural Cultural Landscape wins UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

We are thrilled to announce that our sustainable rural revitalisation project at Lai Chi Wo has been awarded the prestigious Special Recognition for Sustainable Development in the 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The project is built on HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme initiated since 2013 and implemented by the Centre for Civil Society and Governance with full support from the Lai Chi Wo Village and HSBC.

The project is featured in the first line of UNESCO’s official award announcement. The Jury applauded the project’s pioneering approach to rural sustainability which “transforms notions of heritage practice from its conventional focus on material conservation to encompass living heritage in all its manifestations… the project demonstrates the importance of interweaving nature and cultural heritage in setting a new urban-rural sustainability agenda for Hong Kong SAR and beyond.”

For more details, please click HERE.

Publication of "Revitalising Rural Communities"

Based on knowledge and experience accumulated through implementing a rural revitalisation project in Hong Kong since 2013, this book

1. explores the concept of rural resilience and its application to the peri-urban interface
2. highlights the challenges and opportunities of (re)constructing a sustainable community in the peri-urban context
3. discusses how to leverage and enhance urban-rural linkages to create economic opportunities

eBook available

“Rural Sustainability” newsletter – Summer 2021 Issue

The sixth issue of the Programme's "Rural Sustainability" newsletter is published with the theme "Rural Revitalisation and Chiho Sosei". Stories and news covered in this issue include:
Cover Story: The Resurrection of Zhushan Town in Taiwan
Feature: Stay-Home Village Fest: Rural as a Way of Novel Living
Key Concepts: Japan’s Chiho Sosei Policy
Hing Chun Yeuk Villages: Siu Tan – A Serene Village that Has Seen A Lot
Academy Events and Courses: Rural in Action Start-up Scheme
Co-Creation of the Community: Reinventing Rural Capital Scheme: “HSBC Rural Sustainability” Project Team Participates in the Venice Biennale
Local Products: Coffee Grown Locally?

HKU Lai Chi Wo revitalisation project awarded by American Institute of Architects (Hong Kong Chapter)

The revitalisation of Lai Chi Wo Village is awarded "AIA Hong Kong Citation 2021" by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Hong Kong Chapter “for the ongoing collaborative efforts of individuals and organizations in heritage conservation of this historic Hakka walled settlement including revitalisation of its traditional farming and cultural landscapes together with a number of the houses, thereby promoting sustainable rural community development and encouraging effective control over rural land use in the New Territories”. 

Led by HKU Centre for Civil Society and Governance and Lai Chi Wo Pui Shing Tong Committee (the owner), other awardees include The Hong Kong Countryside Foundation, The Conservancy Association, Produce Green Foundation, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, and the Countryside Conservation Office of the HKSAR Government.

HKU Lai Chi Wo revitalisation project presented with UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation

The award presentation was held on November 28 at Lai Chi Wo Village. Collaborators and supporters from all sectors joined the ceremony and celebrated the project’s achievement. Dr DUONG Bich Hanh, Chief of Culture Unit at UNESCO Bangkok, commended the innovativeness of the project which shows how principles of sustainable development can mutually reinforce the practice of heritage conservation within and out of the site boundary. 

The project’s success is the result of its community-based revitalisation approach and the collaboration among the Government, the business sector, the community, and the academia. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the individuals and organisations who have participated in the revitalisation process.

“HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme” wins UN-Habitat Asian Townscape Award

The “HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme” has been selected to be one of the 11 winning projects for UN-Habitat’s 2021 Asian Townscape Awards (ATA). ATA was initiated by UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, Asian Habitat Society, Fukuoka Asian Urban Research Center and Asia Townscape Design Society in 2010 to honour projects that effectively enhance living environment through urban transformation in Asian cities. The jury commended that the HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme “revived a devastated rural village into an ideal farm. The various organizations brought out the vitality of the people”. “We also focused on the interaction between rural and urban areas to make it sustainable,” the jury further commended.

Abstract

Vibrant rural communities are an integral component of sustainable societies due to their ability to nurture and sustain ecological and cultural diversity. Yet changing social and economic processes have led to the break-down of rural communities. This paper demonstrates how collaborative forms of governance contribute to policy learning and so rural sustainability. An analysis of a case study on rural revitalisation using the Advocacy Coalition Framework and narrative analysis reveal how common misconceptions can hinder revitalisation efforts. The role of a policy broker is shown to be vital in the dissolution of these policy misconceptions. Emphasis is on policy brokering strategies, particularly the use of venue creation, issue (re)framing and knowledge co-production, which resulted in changing policy believes and so policy learning. As a result of stakeholder coalitions being inspired to reconsider their beliefs, the alignment of policy goals became possible and the effects of imbalanced power relations mitigated.

Full article available

"Rural Sustainability" newsletter – Summer 2002 Issue

The seventh issue of the Programme's "Rural Sustainability" newsletter is published. It features a rural sustainability salon on the Lai Chi Wo model and a local food processing kitchen that promotes agro-food sustainability. Stories and news covered in this issue include:
Cover Story - A Sustainability Salon, A Moment of Recognition on the Lai Chi Wo Model
Sustainable Living - LoCoKITCHEN: Connecting Like-minded for Sustainable Production
Key Concepts - Rural Sustainability for Attaining UN Sustainable Development Goals
Hing Chun Yeuk Villages - Ngau Shi Wu – A Desolated Village Off the Beaten Track
Academy Events and Courses - Certificate in Sustainable Coffee Value Chain
Co-Creation of the Community: Reinventing Rural Capital Scheme - Co-creation Projects on Wellness
Local Products - Sweet and Juicy Late White Radishes

“HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme” wins the HKU Faculty Knowledge Exchange (KE) Award 2023

“HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme” has won the HKU Faculty of Social Sciences Knowledge Exchange Award 2023 with its impact on enhancing civil society’s capacity and readiness for sustainability attainment using Rural Revitalisation as the action domain. You may find out more about the Project and its impact with this link.

The Faculty Knowledge Exchange (KE) Awards were introduced in 2011 to recognise each Faculty’s outstanding KE accomplishment that has made demonstrable economic, social or cultural impacts to benefit the community, business/industry, or partner organisations. The selection criteria include quality of the underpinning research and the impact with support of evidence, effectiveness of the engagement process with the community or partner organisations, and demonstration of cross- and multi-disciplinary impacts.

Congratulations to the inter-disciplinary team:
Professor Wai Fung Lam and team members – Dr Winnie Wai Yi Law, Ms Katie Hiu Lai Chick, Mr Ryan Siu Him Leung, Ms Sianna Si In Yiu, Ms Vivian Hoi Shan Leung, Dr Taihua Hu, Ms Iris Pui Yee Man, Mr Leo Ying Yin Li, Ms Yiying Zhang, Dr Vivian Ho Yee Chu, Dr Jessica Marie Williams and Dr Sarah Sau Tung Liao, Centre for Civil Society and Governance; Dr Billy Chi Hang Hau and Professor David Dudgeon, School of Biological Sciences; Professor Ji Chen, Department of Civil Engineering.

“Sustainability Impact Assessment: Framework and Report on HSBC Rural Sustainability” is published

The first part of the publication details a sustainability assessment framework and methodology that has been developed along the course of the Rural Sustainability Programme. This is followed by part two, which explains its application and reports the Programme’s sustainability attainment at different scales and levels to the environment, individuals, organisations and the wider society. The publication is available upon request by email (ruralsd@hku.hk).

"A Nine-year Journey of HSBC RURAL SUSTAINABILITY" published

The Centre for Civil Society and Governance at The University of Hong Kong strives to promote sustainable development through collaborative action. With the support from The Hongkong Bank Foundation, our flagship action research projects, the “Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme” and “HSBC Rural Sustainability Programme” implemented in 2013 - 2022, have revitalised local rural villages by fostering urban-rural collaboration with a view to advance the overall sustainability of our city. 

This book summarises the Programme’s nine-year journey and offers a summary of the revitalisation initiative’s concepts, designs, achievements, and overall impact. We hope this documentation inspires more community actions from a wider spectrum of the society, bringing together wisdom and resources to forge a brighter and more sustainable future.

eBook available