- 04/07/2025
The documentary "Chinese Juncao" takes an international perspective on global governance issues and introduces the viewpoints of others with an objective stance，focuses on the process and development status of the "small and beautiful" Chinese Juncao technology that has taken root and thrived overseas，and demonstrates the positive contribution of China's to global poverty alleviation and sustainable development through realistically recording the individual stories of local people who rely on Chinese Juncao technology to escape from poverty, actively start their own businesses, and change their destinies.
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🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
01:34I thought there was no one cultivating mushrooms over here.
01:37All the mushrooms that were coming into Fiji were imported.
01:43Several years ago, Ashneal too believed that it was impossible to grow mushrooms in Fiji due to the soaring high temperatures.
01:58Located at the heart of the southwestern Pacific, Fiji is a typical tropical island nation.
02:05Constrained by its geography and climate, its output of produce is particularly insufficient.
02:11Grains, meats and even vegetables rely heavily on costly imports.
02:26Fiji has been seeking solutions to counter this.
02:41The success of mushroom cultivation using juntsao technology in the tropical region of Papua New Guinea offered Fiji a glimpse of hope.
02:53In 2014, with the arrival of the first batch of supplies, the juntsao technology project was initiated in Fiji.
03:01The first challenge the expert team faced post-implementation was dealing with the high temperatures.
03:08At 30 degrees Celsius, medium-temperature edible mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms, struggled to adapt.
03:15This significantly affected the quality of the final product.
03:19The expert team tried various methods to address this.
03:24We were thinking about putting water in the water to reduce the temperature.
03:27We had some water in the water, and the temperature of the water is 30 degrees.
03:31It's too high. This is a technology problem.
03:38Known as the crossroads of the South Pacific, Fiji is dotted with cargo containers.
03:44Inspired by cold-chain transportation, the expert team purchased six second-hand containers
03:50to convert them into air-conditioned rooms for the mushrooms, thus solving the high-temperature issue.
03:58This is edible, and that one is medicinal. It's different kinds.
04:02We can harvest three to four times.
04:05When Fiji succeeded in growing mushrooms, Ashneel saw a business opportunity in the news.
04:12The high cost of imported mushrooms meant a huge potential market share for domestically produced ones.
04:21The advantages in logistics and price on hitting the market meant that as long as mushrooms could be cultivated,
04:27they were sure to sell.
04:30In 2017, after learning about the container-based mushroom cultivation method through the Jun Tsao technology training,
04:46Ashneel was convinced that even in Laotoka, the second largest city in Fiji known for its hot, dry climate,
04:53growing mushrooms was no longer an impossibility.
04:57The Chinese expert had grown mushrooms over here.
05:04So when we had an opportunity to grow mushrooms, so I thought of taking up that opportunity
05:10and using that to generate income for my family.
05:14Ashneel's 10-year-old son is already a capable helper.
05:25For as long as he can remember, this cold house has always been in their home.
05:30It was a gift from the China-Fiji Jun Tsao Technology Demonstration Center.
05:36They had showed us how the grow room was operating,
05:40and there was only three variables that they were controlling,
05:43was the fresh air, the ventilation, and the humidity,
05:46controlling the temperature and the environment so that mushrooms would grow with great quality.
05:53With 20 years of work experience in computer network maintenance,
06:03Ashneel was able to make the cold house more labor-saving and efficient.
06:09We had to fill the water in every eight hours or maybe a day or two,
06:15and then we had to go refill.
06:17So the reason why I modified that was so that I do not have to go in
06:21and manually fill in the water for the humidifier.
06:45The container-based mushroom cultivation method
06:47requires continuous use of electricity for cooling,
06:51which brings about particular economic and technical requirements.
06:55However, thanks to innovative local mushroom farmers like Ashneel,
07:00the widespread adoption of Jun Tsao technology in Fiji became more and more practical.
07:06Initially, I was a bit stressed about it, but as I got to know to properly control the environment,
07:20my electricity bill was coming down.
07:24We can close to about 40 to 50 kgs of mushrooms can be harvested from the 20-foot container.
07:32We can generate close to 2,000 to 2,500 per month.
07:41This year marks the seventh year since Ashneel was introduced to Jun Tsao technology.
07:47With keen insight and strong commitment, he also became the first mushroom farmer in Fiji
07:53to successfully produce his own mushroom substrate packs.
08:05There are a lot of interested people who are not able to come to my physical training.
08:10So what I do is I make the e-book available to them online,
08:14whichever is convenient to them.
08:16There is a saying that you rip what you sow.
08:29I mean, if you are doing mushroom cultivation, you do your hard work,
08:32and you'll rip the benefits out of it.
08:34Ashneel hopes that more and more people will master this technology,
08:48allowing locally grown mushrooms to enter the market and reach more households.
08:53Jun Tsao mushroom cultivation techniques have ended Fiji's long dearth of mushrooms
09:03and having to rely on imports.
09:06The experts have also adapted planting methods
09:09to the climatic features of different regions.
09:12In the humid and cool southeastern part of Fiji,
09:16local farmers can grow mushrooms using the simplest soil-casing cultivation.
09:21This small and beautiful agricultural project also allows more Fijians
09:29to escape the constraints of the seasons and climate,
09:32offering a more stable livelihood.
09:42On a remote island in the eastern part of Fiji,
09:4574-year-old Alusio Tawakavudua is preparing to collect the crabs caught the day before.
09:55Like the other residents on the island, Tawakavudua's family primarily earns income
10:00through fishing, crabbing, and cassava cultivation.
10:03However, the ecological damage in recent years due to warming waters,
10:13combined with the unusually long rainy season this year,
10:16has significantly reduced the crab yield.
10:23Every crab trap proved a disappointment,
10:26and this trip didn't even cover the cost of the boat.
10:36In the past, such fruitless trips might have impacted the family's livelihood.
10:41But this time, Tawakavudua is not overly frustrated.
10:45The land under the trees behind his house is Tawakavudua's great hope.
11:01The layers of thriving mushrooms there provide him with solace.
11:04A few years ago, when Tawakavudua was nearly 70 years old,
11:14he attended a training class introduced by a local Junsao technology extension officer
11:20and brought back the mushroom substrate packs given to him as gifts to the island.
11:25And I was very pleased with him when he was interested in mushroom production.
11:35So he went with it with all his heart.
11:39And before, he used to rely to the family members.
11:43Now, with the mushroom income from the planting he'd done,
11:48he was able to feed the family.
11:50Tawakavudua grows oyster mushrooms, harvesting three crops every month
12:16and no longer affected by the rainy season.
12:19The income has given him the ability to improve his family's living conditions.
12:24The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
12:27The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
12:29The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
12:36The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
12:43The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
12:50The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
12:57The young man singing is Tawakavudua's grandson, Paul.
13:01One year, three months, the mother died.
13:05And I take him, take him from that age till now, it's 25 years now.
13:12Paul has shown exceptional musical talent from a young age
13:16and has even been invited to pursue a career abroad.
13:22There's plenty of people here go to Australia, New Zealand.
13:27They say, no.
13:29I want to stay with you because you are getting old.
13:33So kind to us.
13:37He'll love us.
13:38He'll love us.
13:46I just want to give back what they did to me.
13:53So I just want to find a job so I can make them happy.
14:10Paul is still in college and can only return to the island
14:13during his holidays.
14:14The family cherishes these reunions.
14:27But these days, Tawakivudua is a little worried.
14:32The land that should be sprouting is silent,
14:35indicating that the mushroom substrate packs,
14:38which have produced several batches of mushrooms,
14:41are depleted and need replacing.
14:48But the island's connection to the outside world
14:51sometimes just depends on luck.
14:53And all he can do now is wait.
15:03Hundreds of kilometers away in Nadi,
15:05the Chinese experts are also anxious.
15:10The mushroom substrate packs in the cultivation workshop
15:13are mature, but recent rains in eastern Fiji
15:17have disrupted roads, preventing the timely delivery
15:20of the new packs to farmers.
15:24The expert team is calculating a time for departure,
15:27hoping that the weather will clear up.
15:36The continuous heavy rains seem to be subsiding.
15:40Tawakivudua quickly asked his neighbor
15:42to try making another phone call.
15:44For the customers, how to figure them out.
15:47And they're really trying to make a lot of
15:48about their forests.
15:49How they're doing.
15:51Hello.
15:52Yeah.
15:53We need some more mushrooms.
15:55Yeah.
15:56What time?
15:58What time?
15:59Okay, tomorrow morning.
16:05The next day, the expert team departed from Nadi and arrived
16:18on the island after a seven-hour journey.
16:29Apart from the new mushroom substrate packs
16:32Tawaka Voodua urgently needs, some mushroom cultivation techniques
16:36suitable for the rainy season are crucial.
16:39A few days later, Tawaka Voodua's mushroom shed welcomed another bountiful harvest.
16:46A few days later, Tawaka Voodua's mushroom shed welcomed another bountiful harvest.
17:07He hoped to sell the mushrooms at a good price while they were still fresh.
17:15The cassava grow for eight months to nine months in harvest.
17:21Sweet potatoes, five months.
17:24Planting a mushroom is easy, but it's quick, yeah?
17:28Good money.
17:30It's good to plant mushrooms rather than the other plants.
17:34Two hours later, Tawaka Voodua arrives at a farmer's market in the capital, Suva.
17:52Yeah, I'm selling mushrooms.
17:55Yeah.
17:56The thing was spreading quickly.
18:04We'll see you next time, eh?
18:07Yeah, okay.
18:13This transaction earned Tawaka Voodua over 100 Fijian dollars.
18:18Next, he plans to expand his cultivation area because his small agricultural project is helping him realize a long cherished plan.
18:28Building a new house for Paul behind his own.
18:32No way.
18:33I'm doing things her way too late.
18:35I don't think I can start to change itself.
18:36Yeah.
18:41I'm coming back to him too.
18:42A bed.
18:43That's my bed.
18:44A bed.
18:45That's my bed.
18:46The door is toilet in the bed.
18:4730,000, yeah, we keep it a little bit, yeah, or somehow keeping your muscle money and fishing,
19:05but I'll try.
19:17Tawakavudua's family is just a microcosm of the Fijian families who fight for survival and a decent life.
19:26This tropical island nation, highly susceptible to climate change,
19:31now has more options to cope with extreme weather thanks to Jun Tsao technology.
19:37I'm really proud of my work, looking after 15,000 acres of land with around 4,000 units of different classes.
19:52I think it's great to have this session together.
19:5649-year-old Ulayasi patrols this vast ranch daily.
20:09As the livestock manager of Fiji's largest beef cattle supply base,
20:14the health of the animals is constantly on his mind.
20:26In Fiji, there are just two seasons in the year, the dry season and the rainy season.
20:32From May to October, during the hot and dry season, the ranch can face severe shortages of green fodder,
20:38causing significant weight loss in the cattle and sheep.
20:43There are a lot of deaths due to low nutrition, no water.
20:48It creates a lot of problems to the farmers.
20:51The half-yearly fodder crisis forced the Yakara ranch to spend a significant amount of money on feed each year.
20:59Having to import it at high cost severely hampered the development of the ranch.
21:04Over the years, Ulayasi and his colleagues had been searching for drought-resistant fodder.
21:21In September 2014, when juntsao technology was first introduced to Fiji to store substrates for mushroom cultivation,
21:30Chinese and Fijian experts planted the seeds of giant juntsao grass brought from China at a local agricultural station.
21:40Just as the Chinese experts had anticipated, this small experimental field quickly flourished.
21:48The locals became curious about this tall grass species.
21:56Many of them signed up for the juntsao technology training class as soon as it began.
22:02We will learn about juntsao technology as you go along the day.
22:05You might be saying this is juntsao. What is he talking about?
22:08At that time, many of them joined. There are doctors and doctors.
22:16They are very, very interested.
22:19We have introduced the gyuqin草. What is the effect?
22:24Years of practice have proven that giant juntsao grass is a high-yield, quality fodder suitable for growing in tropical to subtropical climates.
22:35It is perennial and highly drought-resistant.
22:39These excellent characteristics impressed representatives from the Yakara Ranch, who immediately established contact with the expert group.
22:49This is a cooperation between you and the Yakara. You guys and the Yakara.
22:57After learning about the challenges faced by the ranch, the expert group conducted a field survey.
23:04After discussion, they decided to plant seven acres of giant juntsao grass as a trial before the dry season approached.
23:12At the time, no one could have imagined the astonishment this decision would bring to the entire ranch.
23:33Three months later, when the cattle and sheep at the Yakara ranch began feeding on locally cultivated Chinese juntsao, all doubts were dispelled.
24:03Fiji has entered the dry season. While other grass species on the ranch begin to yellow and wither, the giant juntsao grass has grown taller than a person.
24:16With its strong tillering ability, the ranch is a lush and vibrant scene.
24:22We have seen that, you know, junka really survived well in the conditions that we have.
24:37You know, the last chagrin, and it's really working well for us in feeding our animals during this period.
24:43The success of giant juntsao grass at the Yakara ranch was no fluke.
24:56As a C4 plant, it exhibits a higher rate of photosynthesis under high temperatures, intense sunlight, and relatively dry conditions, yielding up to 100 or 200 tons per acre per year.
25:12The sweet taste of success encouraged the Yakara ranch to quickly develop an expansion plan.
25:19Today, the total planted area on the ranch has reached 170 acres, and the number of livestock has quadrupled.
25:28I encourage the boys to harvest the junka grass at six to eight weeks' interval. Once we cut in six to eight weeks' time, the grass is ready for another harvest.
25:52Such lush greenery during the dry season is a scene the ranch workers could never have imagined before the introduction of the giant juntsao grass.
26:11With the grass in place, feeding the livestock is no longer an issue, but can it also improve their diet?
26:20Even we look at times when animals are breaking into the fence, showing that, you know, the nutritional content of this grass is perfect.
26:36The surprises that giant juntsao grass brought to the ranch didn't stop there.
26:45Scientific calculations have shown that the crude protein content of one acre of giant juntsao grass is equivalent to that of eight acres of corn.
26:55As fodder, it not only significantly speeds up the growth of livestock, but also improves the quality of the meat.
27:04This characteristic is equally tempting for the ranch.
27:10While supplying beef cattle, the Yakara ranch also sells its own beef products, and its distance from town does not stop the diners from coming.
27:24We are seeing an increase in our sales, especially from some of the hotel owners around the area.
27:33We have a new board now. They come up with a very good plan to change the whole of Yakara, and part of it is we are targeting to increase our area to 500 acres, so that it can cater for all the animals in the tree station.
27:51These are things we are taking up with.
28:02These are the words that are out of the tribe in our garden.
28:06We are so privileged to have a far better land, and I am also the best to keep track of the land and the north.
28:11As a farmer, we find out that the world is the best to keep track of the land, and the north.
28:14Today, the planting area of giant juntsao grass across Fiji has exceeded 1,100 acres.
28:28The number of farmers using it to feed their livestock is over 1,000.
28:33With the support of juntsao technology, the problem of feed shortages during the dry season
28:38in Fiji is gradually becoming a thing of the past, while the country's livestock industry
28:44is developing rapidly.
28:48Fiji, this beautiful country surrounded by the blue ocean, has found in juntsao technology
28:59a new driving force for addressing climate change and promoting economic development.
29:04The consistent principle of sustainable development, which underlies juntsao technology, also presents
29:15a broad vision of green development for those who most value it.
29:34It is a Ross SubsQUEIN Vanessa
29:42And Christine, I
29:58It is good to share with each other becauseфiji is about housing as many of them.
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