Communities are sustainable only when people feel happy and positive about the present and future of their physical and spiritual situation. This happens when people have secured access to sustainable livelihoods, the environment is ecologically balanced, affordable and culturally appropriate social services are available and a community is supportive and shares common values and outlook.

During the past few decades, globalised commercialisation and macro-economically oriented development models have dominated, creating an ever-deepening rich-poor divide in developing and developed worlds alike. China is no exception. Often, economic growth has come at the cost of a deteriorating environment, erosion of cultural diversity, and antagonizing social polarisation. Progress in one part of the society has failed to benefit disadvantaged and marginalised communities as anticipated. On the contrary, these communities face new problems that are more challenging than ever before.

In many villages in China, young healthy people have continuously been migrating out of the village in search of better cash income. These young people return only briefly during the busy farming seasons or at Lunar New Year for family reunions. Rural livelihoods are now more and more dependent on non-farm employment. The natural environment has been quickly depleted and is subject to degeneration. Traditional rural culture, rooted in strong mutual support, and harmonious co-existence of people and nature is rapidly disappearing.

Holistic Well-being

Well-being is more complex then economic wealth. Our programme experiences have demonstrated the many different aspects of a fulfilling and sustainable way of life. For example, in 2004 some villagers in Guizhou turned to ecological farming. Since then farm work has become more laborious. However the farmers are happier because the food is healthier and tastes better and the environment has improved. Participants in a traditional Miao medicinal herbs class in Yunnan province have become very motivated and enthusiastic. They enjoy the processes of exploring and learning about the community’s health-related issues together; cooperating in this effort has improved their solidarity and community pride.

PCD believes that issues of poverty and injustice should be addressed by encouraging sustainable living , whereby communities are self-reliant and live in harmony with each other and with nature, sharing values of mutual support, inclusiveness and equity, and taking pride in their culture and identity. Over the past few years, PCD has facilitated reflection on a more holistic view of agriculture, livelihoods and the interconnectedness between people and Nature. We work with local groups and communities through action-and-reflection processes to translate shared principles into daily practices. One platform that has been created to reflect on sustainable living is the Community-Supported Agricultural network, which has been promoted in urban areas to support better care of the environment and farmers. We have also pioneered the formation of self managed farmers’ cooperatives which encourage mutual assistance in developing local markets. Our community-based health interventions have helped raise awareness of and interest in eco-health and ecological waste management. Some communities having undergone an interactive and participatory issue-identifying process, return to their resourceful and rich cultural traditions. We believe in an integrated approach which takes into consideration the diverse aspects of holistic living to provide more sustainable options for communities.