ZJU Ye Ming’er named “Food Hero” by FAO

Ye Ming’er, associate professor of horticulture at Zhejiang University, has been named “Food Hero” by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which honored 25  “Food Heroes” around the world this year for their great efforts to provide safe food for a healthy tomorrow.

“I am dedicated to producing high-quality fruit to benefit everyone,” said Ye, who has been promoting fruit tree technology for 35 years. His innovative approach has boosted growth and yield of citrus and Yang Mei fruit (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.), increasing farmers’ income as well as protecting natural resources.

In 2015, Ye established an enclosed demonstration center in Liannan Village, Huzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province. Thanks to his guidance, the cultivated area has expanded to 3000 hectares in Zhejiang Province by the end of 2020. Huzhou City is currently the largest protected citrus cultivation area in China. Spanning over 600 hectares, the center boasts the output value of over 1 billion yuan (about USD 150 million) has dramatically increased farmers’ income.

Ye Ming’er has effectively combined traditional cultivation of Huangyan Miju - a famous local variety of citrus - with resource-friendly and innovative techniques. He employs intelligent temperature control and water-saving irrigation to reduce oil salinity, a side effect of greenhouse cultivation. This protects both the soil and fruits, as well as the farmers’ livelihoods that depend on them.

“We have also built a healthy eco-environment at the orchard, where sheep feed on grass and its dung is in turn used as fertilizers for fruit trees, thus protecting the environment and ensuring the food safety,” said Ye in a recent interview. 

Ye Ming’er has had similar success with Yang Mei, which has grown in China for over 2000 years. His new cultivation techniques for the Dongkui variety bred by Zhejiang University have produced trees that bear fruit earlier, with superior quality and higher yields. 

Dongkui is now the most popular variety of Yang Mei in China, representing roughly 60% of the Bayberry tree varieties grown over about 400 000 hectares. It has spread rapidly to underdeveloped mountainous areas as a source of wealth for farmers in both east and west China. 

As director of the Agricultural Heritage Center of Zhejiang University now, Ye continues his commitment by promoting rural tourism to improve the farmers’ life.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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