| Excutive
summary: |
This project seeks US$ 1,973,409 over five
years from the CPWF to develop and foster the adoption of
conservation agriculture practices in China’s Yellow
River Basin.
Soil erosion is a major problem in the Yellow
River Basin: the river is one of the most sediment laden in
the world. Although the areas targeted by the WFCP are not
the most prone to erosion, the more sloping areas where rainfed
crops are grown, do demonstrate often alarming levels of soil
loss, both due to water and to wind erosion. Although there
is a rainfall gradient from 750 mm in southern Shandong, to
200mm per year in northern Ningxia, most of the rainfed cropping
area is in regions with more than 400 mm per year. The proposed
project will concentrate in these areas.
Conservation agriculture (featuring reduced
or zero tillage, mulch retention, crop rotations and cover
crops) offers a possible solution. Conservation agriculture
systems typically result in increased crop water availability
and agroecosystem productivity, reduced soil erosion, increased
soil organic matter and nutrient availability, reduced labor
and fuel use and increased biological control of pests. Today,
conservation agriculture systems cover more than 70 million
hectares worldwide, including important areas in Brazil, India,
Pakistan and Ghana where these practices are used by smallholders.
Several advances with zero tillage and conservation
agriculture have been made in recent years in the northern
Provinces of China. However, most, but not all, of these projects
have been in irrigated areas. Experiences with zero tillage
in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei and Inner Mongolia have been positive.
It is in the light of these results and the considerable benefits
observed by small farmers in other regions of the world that
the project aims to help farmers adapt conservation agriculture
to the rainfed production areas of the Yellow River Basin.
The project goal is to improve the incomes
and livelihoods of smallholder farm families in the rainfed
cropping areas of Henan, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Shandong
while simultaneously improving soil quality and reducing land
degradation and soil erosion that threaten system sustainability.
Specific objectives include fostering farm family adoption
of conservation agriculture practices through participatory
research, farmer experimentation and farmer-to-farmer interaction
and extension; assessing the (biophysical, social and economic)
consequences of conservation agriculture adoption; encouraging
a policy environment that does not discriminate against conservation
agriculture; and strengthening the capacity of local partners.
Project partners include two international Centers (CIMMYT
and IWMI) and several NARES institutions. Project beneficiaries
are expected to include farm families; downstream water users;
researchers and extension workers; and future generation.
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