Sustainable Lai Chi Wo [永續荔枝窩計劃]

2013-2017 HSBC supported.

Sustainable Lai Chi Wo

永續荔枝窩

 

The Hong Kong Countryside Foundation has been working closely with the villagers of Lai Chi Wo Village since 2011, jointly exploring ways to revitalise this beautiful and culturally rich village.  In 2011, the village was mostly deserted and the fields had been fallow for decades and were generally overgrown with shrubs.  Many village houses with traditional tiled roof were slowly crumbling.  Actions were urgently needed to re-populate the village and to bring back meaningful employment for its residents.  Otherwise the village might become yet another abandoned village in the New Territories, and would be forgotten within a decade or so.

香港鄉郊基金自2011 年開始與荔枝窩村民緊密接觸,積極探求方法, 希望恢復這條文化豐盈和風景優美的鄉村。2011年的時候,村裏人去樓空,田地荒廢了幾十年,長滿野草雜木,不少村屋的傳統金字瓦頂逐漸崩塌,有逼切需要重新建立常住人口,並把有意義的工作機會帶回本村,否則新界又會增添一條荒村,十年八載以後,荔枝窩會被世人遺忘。

In 2013, with the assistance of villagers keen for bringing life back to the village, the Foundation managed to rent some 40,000 sq metres of farm land from the villagers.  On this basis, the Foundation partnered with the Policy for Sustainability Lab (then known as Kadoorie Institute) of the University of Hong Kong, Produce Green Foundation and Conservancy Association in a multi-year, multi-disciplinary, village re-vitalisation project supported by HSBC viz. “Living Water and Community Revitalisation: An Agriculture-led Action, Engagement and Incubation Programme at Lai Chi Wo” <http://www.socsc.hku.hk/psl/laichiwo/>This project, known as “Sustainable Lai Chi Wo” for short, has turned out to be tremendously successful, much beyond expectation.

鄉郊基金於2013年獲得衷心復村的村民協助,向村民承租了約4萬平方米的農地。有了這個基礎,鄉郊基金與香港大學策動永續發展坊(前身為嘉道理研究所)、綠田園基金及長春社等伙伴,並得到香港上海匯豐銀行支持,共同進行跨學科的鄉村活化計劃,全稱為「永續荔枝窩 – 農業復耕及鄉村社區營造計劃」http://www.socsc.hku.hk/psl/laichiwo/,簡稱「永續荔枝窩」,幾年間成績遠超預期,令人振奮。

Under the project, the fields and associated irrigation channels were rehabilitated step by step.  The first crop of rice in 2014 was an emotional event, bringing back the fond memories of many indigenous villagers and re-connecting them to the soil of their home village.  Since then, the area under active cultivation has steadily grown.  Traditional crops such as maize, turnip, taro, ginger, papaya (non-GM), etc., have been re-introduced alongside other innovative species.

本計劃開始時,先逐步修復耕地和灌溉用的圳溝,2014年收穫第一造米是令人感動的時刻,勾起村民許多兒時村裏的美好回憶,也將他們重新與鄉土連繋起來。接著幾年,陸續擴大恆常耕作的土地,同時重新引進傳統作物如粟米、蘿蔔、芋、薑、木瓜(非基因改造)等,以及其他新品種。

The resumption of farming and the organisation of training and education activities under the project brought an unprecedented number of volunteers and visitors to Lai Chi Wo, giving the village a new breath of life.  The first residents, associated with the project, settled down in the village in 2014.  They were later joined by returning villagers who provide services to visitors.  Increasingly, villagers are returning for short stays or for winter.  Some have even opted for part-time farming at Lai Chi Wo, their home village.

恢復農耕加上計劃裏的訓練和教育活動,為荔枝窩帶來義工和訪客,人流量多年未見,村裏重現活力和生氣。隨著計劃展開,第一批新居民2014年到來定居,接著有原居民回流村裏為訪客提供服務,回鄉小住的村民漸多,也有僑居海外的村民回鄉渡冬,部份甚至變身休閑農夫,在家鄉種起田來。

The opening up of the fields has led to the restoration of the beautiful, traditional rural landscape typical of villages in Hong Kong in the past.  Together with careful management of “visual corridors”, Lai Chi Wo now proves to be very attractive to local tourists from the city.  It has even caught the attention of foreign visitors, such that Lai Chi Wo is now featured by Lonely Planet as a top destination in Hong Kong.

荔枝窩村開田之後,重新展現昔日的優美傳統鄉郊風貌,配合悉心管理的「景觀走廊」,十分吸引本地遊客前來造訪,連海外遊客也加以垂青,以致成為世界著名旅遊出版社「Lonely Planet」推薦的香港首選旅遊目的地。

The project is conscious of the importance of maintaining balance and harmony between nature and culture based on agriculture.  It therefore requires that farming be conducted in an ecologically friendly manner.  Monitoring by HKU partners have confirmed that the resumption of traditional farming practice has a positive effect on biodiversity, in terms of butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles, amphibians etc.

「永續荔枝窩」計劃深明自然與農耕文化之間必須保持平衡與和諧,因此要求耕作以對生態友善的方式進行。合作伙伴香港大學的團隊對荔枝窩的蝴蝶、蜻蝏、爬蟲和兩棲類進行了長期監察,數據確認恢復傳統農耕對「生物多樣性」起了正面提升作用。

The project is also firmly committed to the idea of sustainable development.  Steps are taken to develop village-based economic activities for the village’s long-term well-being.  In 2017, HKU partners started running farmer markets at Lai Chi Wo, to promote local farm outputs.  In 2017,  ginger and turmeric were processed in situ at Lai Chi Wo, as an effort to generate economic value locally.

本計劃也認真實踐「永續發展」的概念,為著本村的長遠福祉,籌謀發展鄉村經濟模式。2017年初,香港大學及伙伴們開始在荔枝窩擧辦農墟,推銷本地農產品,是年收成的肉薑和黃薑也在村裏就地加工,務求把經濟增值留在本地。

This project is scheduled to end in late 2017.

本計劃將會在2017年底完結。

Photo credit: Eric Ng