Celebrating AAPI Heritage: Building a more developed and just world for people in need

By Jie Zhou

At first, I was reluctant to write a blog about Asian American heritage — as an international student from China, I wasn’t sure how my experience would be relevant to Asian American students. While I cannot speak for their identity and life experiences, I would like to discuss a topic that should be important to Asians and members of the diaspora: how we can pursue sustainable development in developing countries, and in so doing, help our friends and loved ones live in a more prosperous and just world. During my time at Tufts University, my research has focused on evidence-based policies that can help achieve this prosperity while promoting sustainability.

Many developing countries are heavily reliant on agriculture. According to the World Bank, supporting agriculture can help reduce poverty, raise incomes, and improve food security for 80% of the world’s poor, most of whom live in rural areas and rely on farming for their livelihoods. However, the high rates of fertilizer use and electricity consumption for agriculture have raised many environmental concerns. Under these circumstances, the importance of developing policies to promote sustainable agriculture cannot be understated. We must practice farming in environmentally responsible ways to preserve natural resources for the next generation and maintain the natural beauty of our land while at the same time enhancing economic profitability, empowering women, and promoting social equity.

A powerful example of this type of project is the Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF), an Indian government-led training program in natural farming approaches that aims to reach all 6 million farmers in the state of Andhra Pradesh over an area of 8 million hectares by 2031. This policy seeks to sustain environmentally responsible practices over the long term by disseminating training on natural farming through a randomized control trial design. So far, evidence on the impacts of APCNF is mixed. More comprehensive and long-term data collection and analysis are necessary before we draw any definitive conclusions. But there is no denying that this policy is ambitious, in the sense of the potential to progress towards a more sustainable agricultural society for the most populous country in the world. Our research team is eager to see the impact of APCNF in the next few years’ studies. These kinds of initiatives can transform the developing countries of Asia and advance global equality if we use our time and expertise to help them succeed. That, to me, is a deeply important part of being a Chinese student in America — using the skills I develop here to help the people who I grew up with and who helped give me these incredible opportunities.

The impact of these projects on the people of developing countries is just as important as their impact on the environment. Our work must have the goal of advancing social equity and justice, beyond just economic prosperity. According to UNICEF, gender inequality is severe in India, as is the case in many developing countries in Asia and around the world. However, women can play a key role in biodiversity management and sustainable agriculture and giving them the academic support they need to do so can empower them in all areas of life. By working with local women’s groups and conducting women’s empowerment questionnaires, the research team in the APCNF program is trying to promote gender equity through innovative policy designs. Moreover, policies to promote sustainable development in the workplace are crucial in many developing countries today. A sustainable workplace should do whatever it can to safeguard the environment and employees’ health. In many countries — including developed countries like the U.S. — working conditions and employees’ mental and physical health are undervalued by firms. Many of my family and friends have gone through unfair treatment in the workplace, both in China and the U.S. — and the same is true for many Asian Americans and international students. Firms do not have to choose between profits and taking care of their employees and the world — they can and must do both. Therefore, we must work to design and implement feasible policies to promote sustainable development for both firms and employees. I am excited to continue the research in this field in my Ph.D. studies.

Asians studying or working in the U.S., including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, are an integral part of the American society, providing significant economic contributions to the U.S. economy. It was Chinese immigrants who connected the American West to the rest of the country by railroad, and our work is just as important today. From helping to create life-saving vaccines to creating tech innovations to advancing workers’ rights, we have given so much to America, even though many of us have been neglected or even mistreated throughout American history. If we use these same talents to advance equity throughout the developing world, I know we can do enormous good. At this critical moment, let’s work and speak out to build a better world!

Jie Zhou was an Assistant Researcher at Climate Policy Lab at The Fletcher School, Tufts University