Li Wenua in Green China Article on "Development and Characteristic Features of Ecological Agriculture in China" notes that China has a long history of development on an integrated basis. In China the commonly accepted terminology to express this sustainable approach to developing an integrated farming approach to agriculture is Chinese Ecological Agriculture.

The Indigo Development White Paper has a nice blurb/summary about CEA:

(CEA) is a village-based initiative for reducing the energy intensity and environmental impacts of farming, improving productivity, opening village economic development opportunities, and improving quality of life.

Richard Sanders in his book "Prospects for Sustainable Development in the Chinese Countryside: The Political Economy of Chinese Ecological Agriculture" (Book Review in Green China) writes about how the State Environmental Protection Agency in China promoted rural development policies that enabled innovation in these areas, leading to the development of CEA and explains his experiences meeting with local people and discussing their approaches.

Indigo-Dev page references Sanders with regards to the fact that the State Environmental Protection Agency has led implementation of the initiative for “a comprehensive agricultural production system which is managed intensively according to the principles of ecology and eco-economics.”

The most successful CEA projects integrate traditional ecologically sensitive farming practices with rural community and economic development. Traditional practices include ones familiar to organic farmers in developed countries, such as:

• crop rotation
• inter-planting of crops and diversification
• use of organic fertilizer and minimizing or eliminating use of pesticides
• combining of crop farming, orchards, and animal husbandry
• planting of trees
• utilizing all farm and community by-products to capture resource value
• working with fields and waterways to avoid soil erosion and conserve water
• building of greenhouses for intensive growing throughout the year.

CEA villages have also developed;

• bio-gas generation from manure and human nightsoil at household and village levels
• use of solar water heating systems and photovoltaic energy
• village industries including value-added food processing and non-farm related ventures
• improvement of housing and community infrastructure.

Thus, the ideal of Chinese Ecological Agriculture is a holistic approach that integrates organic farming with village community and economic development. The best cases have achieved notable improvements in the health of the ecological base of farm land and water systems together with significant village economic development and better quality of life.