The successful business story of Li Wenfa has helped persuade
skeptical farmers to return their cultivated farmlands back into
grassy pastures in this Muslim-dominated region suffering from
severe soil erosion.
Li, a Muslim living in Houtang Village of Haiyuan County of
Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, earned more than
30,000 yuan (US$3,600) a year by processing clover into animal
feed.
Li's income is stunningly attractive here where the per capita
yearly income is just 1,000 yuan (US$120). With harsh natural
conditions, including low rainfall and poor terrain, the area is
one of the poorest parts of China.
The wide farming, animal husbandry and ranching activities in
the area dominated by hills have destroyed the local top soil and
resulted in serious erosion problems.
To prevent a continuing cycle of over-farming and to protect the
environment from further damage, the central government decided in
2000 to implement a policy of "turning farmland to pastures and
forests" across the area, and throughout China.
Under the accord, the government is offering cash and food
subsidies to farmers who choose to get involved.
For example, farmers in northern China can receive 1,500
kilograms of grain and 300 yuan (US$36.5) government subsidies if
they turn 1 hectare of cultivated land into grass or forest.
The programme began in 2000 and continues through 2008.
"It is an urgent task for governments at all levels to help
farmers find better ways of earning a living when the government
subsidies run out," Ma Qizhi, chairman of the government of
Ningxia, said in a recent interview.
Otherwise, farmers may simply return to their old damaging
practices of re-cultivating land when the government largesse ends,
Ma explained.
In Haiyuan County, the local conditions are good for growing
clover and liquorice, widely used Chinese traditional herbal
medicine ingredient.
Such plants can thrive well in arid conditions since their roots
are long. Deeply rooted vegetation is also good for helping retain
top soil and for water preservation.
"We have devoted much of our time and energy trying to persuade
farmers to plant such vegetation because their traditional thinking
is very deeply entrenched... the farmers all think they should be
planting grains for their farms to survive," said Ma Yuanwen, head
of the Jiatang Town of Haiyuan County.
But the market value of the alternative vegetation has
increasingly persuaded the farmers.
Some have found that 8,000 kilograms of clover from 1 hectare
can be sold for 3,300 yuan (US$400). The value is double or even
triple what the farmers can bring in from planting traditional
grains such as corn.
The market potential of clover, which is excellent sheep and
cattle feed, is huge in Ningxia because such livestock are now
raised in pens to reduce damage they can cause wandering around the
environment.
So far, Haiyuan County has returned 67,000 hectares of
cultivated land into grasslands or forests and 170,000 hecatres
more are expected to be similarly converted in the future, said Han
Zhirong, director of the county's forestry bureau.
Han said the practice has greatly improved the local ecology
after three stringent years of disciplined efforts by farmers.
(China Daily September 8, 2003)