[HKAS seminar] Make it look Nice, Make it Trustworthy: Ecological Farmers in Farmers Markets in Shanghai

Title: Make it look Nice, Make it Trustworthy: Ecological Farmers in Farmers Markets in Shanghai

Speaker: Leo Pang (PhD candidate, Department of Anthropology, SOAS (The School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London)

Date and time: 5 Oct 2016, 7:00 p.m.

Venue: Lecture Hall, Ground Floor, Hong Kong Museum of History, 100 Chatham Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

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In the face of nation-wide social distrust due to widespread concern about food safety in China, Mr. Pang sheds light on the relationship between the ecological farmers (“eco farmers”) and customers at farmers markets in Shanghai in an era where an abundance of food choices is available to consumers. While ecological food has yet to catch on owing to the high price of ecological produce compared to that of conventional produce and lack of certification, the eco farmers’ efforts to grow safe and healthy produce have been welcomed by the educated urban middleclass. Pang outlines the strategies that eco farmers use to gain the trust of and appeal to these educated, affluent consumers who are willing to pay the higher prices for the produce at farmers’ markets, and how these strategies may conflict with the farmers’ individual ethos.

Leo Pang is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at SOAS (The School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London. This talk is based on his PhD thesis research.

Following the talk, you are invited to a self-paying dinner with the speaker.

For more information, please contact Stan Dyer on 9746 9537 or anthrohk@gmail.com, www.cuhk.edu.hk/ant/hkas, www.facebook.com/hkanthro, @HKASTalks.