2-3A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE HILLY RED-YELLOW SOILS OF SOUTHERN CHINA

2-3A

Project Scope and Relationship to China's Agenda 21

This project seeks to establish management systems for sustainable agriculture development and to select and popularize agricultural technology for resource conservation and optimal agricultural production. This project is based on the programme areas 13A and 13E of China's Agenda 21, and is related to areas 13B, 13C, 13D, and 13F.

1. Background

The red-yellow soil area in south China covers 21.8 million ha (28 percent of total arable lands) and supports 43 percent of the China's population. This area has great potential for agricultural production. The sustainable development of agriculture in this area would not only improve people's living standards, but would also play an important role in the development of the national economy and society.

Since the 1950's, work has been conducted to improve and develop the hilly red-yellow soil areas in Southern China, and considerable progress has been made. Focus on these issues was placed into the National Key Programme for science and technology of the nation and the Ministry of Agriculture development during the 6th and 7th Five Year Plans, and is also in the National Key Programme for science and technology developed during the 8th Five Year Plans period. At present, there are 386 scientific workers and technicians of various disciplines taking part in the project. However, considerable work still needs to be done to place the agricultural systems of the area on a sustainable basis, to reduce soil degradation, to restore productivity, and to utilize the local natural resources in a sustainable manner.

2. Objectives

• Long-term Objectives
  • To Promote the sustainable development of the hilly red-yellow soil area of Southern China by improving agricultural productivity while ensuring the protection and sustainable management of the environment. This work will be carried out in conjunction with the development of the national strategy for sustainable agriculture.

• Immediate Objectives
  • To develop a strategy for sustainable agriculture;
  • Develop models and technical packages for sustainable agriculture development;
  • To establish monitoring systems and protection measures for the ecological resources in the area;
  • To set up seven sustainable agriculture experimental and demonstration districts of high agricultural output and satisfactory ecological benefits in different typical environment categories;
  • To establish a red-yellow soil resource management information system;
  • To establish a training system for diffusion of technologies developed through the demonstration projects.

• 3.1 A sustainable agriculture development strategy for the red-yellow soils will include:
  • The directions and goals for regional agriculture and rural economy development;
  • An indicator system for monitoring economic, environmental, and social changes;
  • Measures for developing and managing land and water resources in a sustainable manner;
  • Development of food and economic crops, forestry, and fruit trees;
  • Measures for integrated development of agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, crop planting, and product processing;
  • Measures for agriculture development in the areas along the coast, rivers, and in inland hilly and/or mountain areas;
  • Policies, laws and regulations related to the development and protection of agricultural resources and services in rural areas.

    The implementing agencies will be the relevant departments under the organization of the State Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture. The duration of activity 3.1 will be four years.

• 3.2 Models and technical packages for the development of resources in the hilly red-yellow soil areas, based on synergies between traditional farming systems and modern methods. This will include:
  • Development of models and technical packages in different typical conditions, including hilly and/or mountainous areas;
  • Investigation of farming systems and their ability to tolerate stress and provide optimal yields and high economic returns;
  • Improvements in production and processing technologies for the local special and high quality forest, fruit and tea products;
  • Development of technologies for integrated agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry practices.

    The implementing agencies will be the relevant departments under the organization of the State Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture. The duration of activity 3.2 will be four years.

• 3.3 Monitoring and regulating systems for the protection of ecosystems and natural resources in the red-yellow area.
  • In situ monitoring of soil and water loss, and the determination of the allowable soil erosion modules;
  • Soil fertility monitoring and the improvement and utilization of middle and low yield soils;
  • Investigation of degradation mechanisms and control measures;
  • Time and spatial patterns of droughts and waterlogging, and measures for preventing and alleviating natural disasters.

    The implementing agencies will be the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Academia Sinica under the organization of the State Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture. The duration of activity 3.3 will be four years.

• 3.4 The establishment of seven experimental and demonstration districts in different typical conditions based on sustainable agriculture practices to demonstrate models of agricultural development with sustainable management of the environment. These projects will help to build local capacity for sustainable agriculture and serve as models for extension activities to disseminate the information widely. These areas will be:
  • Southern subtropical agriculture district for commodity export in Guangdong Province;
  • Agriculture-forestry-fruit tree district in the mountainous and hilly region in Zhejiang Province;
  • Northern subtropical economic crop district in Yunnan Province;
  • Central subtropical agriculture district on the plain and/or hillocks in Jiangxi Province;
  • Southern subtropical agriculture-animal husbandry-fruit tree district in hilly area of Hunan Province;
  • Central subtropical agriculture-forestry-animal husbandry-fishery district in northern Hunan Province;
  • Central subtropical agriculture district in hills and basin area of Sichuan Province. The implementing agencies will be the relevant local governments and units under the organization of the Ministry of Agriculture. The duration of activity 3.4 will be five years.

• 3.5 The red-yellow soil resource information management and training systems will provide a base for extension and diffusion of the new technologies and practices developed to local communities as well as to other areas with similar resource management problems. The activities will include establishing an information management and training centre.

  The implementing agencies will be relevant units under the organization of the Ministry of Agriculture. The duration of activity 3.5 will be three years.

• 4.1 Chinese Inputs
  • Project management travel and office facilities of the Chinese scientists and other staff.
  • Living facilities related to the experimental fields and demonstration districts.
  • Related science, technology and information.

• 4.2 International Cooperation
  • Assistance for capacity building activities such as the experimental demonstration districts, including instruments and machinery, construction of the information management and training centres, technical communication and personnel training.
  • Cooperative research will also be required on the strategies and models of sustainable agriculture development, the monitoring and regulating of the ecological resources, and technical and extension training.

The project would benefit the people of 12 provinces or autonomous regions by helping to increase farmer incomes through improved production and resource management. It is expected that at the completion of the project, production of food and oil crops would increase by 15-20 percent, economical forest and fruit trees by more than 20 percent, and meats by more than 10 percent. The environmental benefits would be increases in vegetation coverage of 5 percent and a decrease in soil loss. Improved resource management and farming practices would help ensure that these natural resources are managed on a more sustainable basis in future.