Living Land

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Integrated Ecosystem and Agriculture Development Project,

the Forestry and Ecological Restoration Project in three

North Western Provinces, and the Shaanxi Weinan Luyang

Integrated Saline Land Management Project. Total investment

by all partners for assistance, grants, and investment projects

under the partnership is about US$800 million.

Since 2014, the partnership has entered a new phase as it

seeks to build on successful capacity and institutional devel-

opment. With the support of ADB, a new

Integrated Strategy

for Sustainable Land Management in Western PRC for 2014-2023

has been prepared. Critical new challenges include adapt-

ing to climate change, developing public-private partnerships

and innovative financing mechanisms, keeping updated with

new sustainable land management concepts, and improving

coordination with other programmes such as the PRC-GEF

Biodiversity Partnership Framework and the UNCCD.

A key

lesson learned is that scaling up sustainable land management

is a complex process, and time, patience and persistence is

needed to embed cross-sectoral cooperation across govern-

ment agencies. Furthermore, greater levels of investment are

needed and resources will need to be channelled and supported

through innovative cooperation mechanisms that have been

initiated over the past decade. With this approach the part-

nership will continue to strive towards its long-term goal of

improving sustainable land management in dryland areas that

benefit poor people.

Pilot projects: better animal husbandry and

sustaining biodiversity

Among the major causes of land degradation in the pilot sites are

the conversion of marginal land to pasture and overgrazing by

goats and sheep. Because penning animals can have significant

socioeconomic and environmental benefits, the partnership

helped to popularize new breeds, feeding methods, weight-gain

technologies and the use of animal manure for biogas and fertilizer.

Farmers were encouraged to enrol in vocational training and to

rehabilitate their grazing areas. In response to declining fodder

and rainfall, livestock owners reduced their number of sheep and

fattened the remaining animals.

Jingbian County, Shaanxi province, was given 50 sheep of an

improved breed whose lambs can be weaned in two to three months

instead of the usual 10 months, and can reach an average weight

of 80 kg in four months, instead of eight. Villagers anticipated high

demand for the improved lamb and stud services. Farmers began

focusing on the quality of their livestock rather than quantity.

The Hudan watershed in Huangyuan County, Qinghai province,

was confronted with upstream and downstream water conflicts,

dying local tree species, significant reduction in biodiversity and

inappropriate agricultural and grazing practices. Hillside grazing

was partially banned and steps were taken to restore vegetation.

The partnership trained farmers in sound ecological practices and

the use of renewable energy and helped them start alternative

livelihood activities. The quality of local soil and water improved,

and native plants have regrown. Villagers participating in monitoring

activities reported the return of several species of native birds for

the first time in many years.

Replacing annual crops with perennial and more climate resilient economic

trees in Gansu province

Planting shelter belts in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region

Image: Frank Radstake

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